


A Funeral for Our Butterflies

by Camphalfgalra



Series: Story of Another Us [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Emotional Manipulation, Established Relationship, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Multi, Relationship Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-05-24 04:43:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14947814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camphalfgalra/pseuds/Camphalfgalra
Summary: Six years after she graduates, Katie "Pidge" Holt suddenly finds herself face to face with an old ally who needs her help. She is reluctant to help him, but with the sudden rise in crime within the Galra and an impending civil war between the Galra and Alteans, she and her friends are left with no choice other than to help him.Meanwhile, Keith and Pidge's relationship is tested once more as an unknown person starts plotting out their ultimate revenge for events that occurred six years ago, and this time, there are much higher things at stake. Friendships and relationships are tested as their plan starts unfolding, and many decisions are made that shatter hearts left and right.(Previously Growing Pains.)





	1. All These Years

Storm clouds loomed over the city of Altea, blocking out the full moon that shone above it, the rain falling in bucketfuls. There wasn't a soul to be seen in the streets, many inside their homes avoiding the storm that didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon. The time was nine at night, and instead of being on her laptop like the madwoman she was and looking for a potential home, Katie "Pidge" Holt was chasing after her one and a half year old daughter, who was running around the Holt residence butt naked and squealing loudly.

"Zoe! Get back here!" Pidge called out as she ran through the living room, the toddler squealing as she hid behind the couch.

"Mommy no find!" she said, peering out of the corner of her right eye for any signs of her mother. After a moment of silence, she lifted a brow, poking her head out from behind the couch, only to see that the living room was completely empty.

"Mommy?"

"Gotcha!"

Zoe squealed as she was lifted up into the air by Pidge, the woman smiling proudly as she wrapped her daughter up in a towel while Zoe stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Mommy no fair!" Zoe pouted.

Pidge rolled her eyes, a teasing smirk on her face. "If mommy isn't fair then why would she let you watch tv while you eat?"

Zoe frowned. "Hungry."

"Again?" Pidge asked exasperatedly, grimacing. "You just ate before your bath!"

"What do you expect? She is your kid," Keith said from behind her, leaning against the wall with a teasing smirk on his face. "She inherited your large appetite."

Zoe's face brightened up as she spotted him. "Daddy!"

"Hey princess!" Keith said happily, taking the girl from Pidge's arms and cradling her while she proceeded to play with the collar of his jacket.

Pidge arched an unimpressed brow. "You're back early."

Keith shrugged. "My manager let me out early because of the storm. Said that we should go before it got any worse. Why? Did you want me to be home late?"

Pidge snorted. "No, I just thought that maybe they finally got tired of your uh, crap," she said cautiously, eyeing the toddler in her boyfriend's arms, "and that they fired you for it."

"Mhm," Keith said unimpressed. "Listen, if Lance's dad fired me it wouldn't be because of my work, but it would be for doing something wrong to his son."

"Uncle Lance?" Zoe questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"He's not here," Pidge said apologetically.

Zoe frowned. "Aww."

Keith chuckled. "I think she inherited a lot more of your personality than mine."

Pidge shook her head. "Nope. She's always grouchy when anyone ignores her and has that tendency to slap you to grab your attention. That definitely came from you."

Keith grinned. "I don't slap anyone to get their attention."

"Do you really though?" Pidge asked wearily, motioning for Keith to hand Zoe over. "Anyways, welcome home or whatever. I left you some leftover food on the table. My parents won't be back from next door until like, two or something. You know how old people are with bingo," she said, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

Keith chuckled. "Thanks." He handed Zoe over to Pidge, the toddler groaning as she was passed off from her father into her mother's arms. "Oh come on Zoe, you can't walk around butt naked all night. You have to sleep in pajamas like normal little girls do."

Zoe pouted. "Daddy no fair!"

Keith shook his head. "See Pidge? This is what happens when you let your mom to babysit Zoe while we're gone. Now she's spoiled!"

Pidge rolled her eyes. "Keith, between Krolia and Aiko, I think our daughter has been spoiled the most by them since birth. They literally bought her her crib and most of her clothes, remember?"

Keith sighed. "I could've bought it myself."

"I know, but be thankful they were supportive instead of freaking out that we had a kid before getting married." Pidge walked in the direction of the laundry room, holding Zoe in one arm while pulling out her pajamas from the dryer.

Keith snorted, following her and standing in the doorframe. "You're telling me. I was scared that I wouldn't even live to see my kid be born, but here we are now. I have a hot girlfriend and a beautiful baby girl who is the spitting image of her mom," Keith said, smiling fondly as Pidge sat the child on top of the dryer, putting her pajamas on.

"Admit it, Keith," Pidge called out, tugging Zoe's arms through the sleeved of her clothes, "You wouldn't have it any other way."

Keith chuckled softly. "No, I wouldn't."

So many things had happened since they graduated. Right after summer vacation they were thrown into the tough life of an Altea University student, takings tests almost every Friday and having a mental breakdown every other Wednesday. It was the same routine for four years in college, and even though it all paid off in the end, Keith never wanted to go back to being a student ever again.

At home, however, things had changed drastically. For one, Shiro and Allura welcomed their first child, Emi, during the cold month of December while everyone was home for winter break, and then a son called Alexander two years later. Matt had gotten engaged and then married with Marisol when Keith and Pidge were twenty two, and had just announced the news that they were going to have a child three months ago. Lance and Plaxum got engaged shortly after they graduated college, and even lived together next door to Lance's parent's house, which totally didn't have anything to do with the fact that he would miss his family is he was more than a block away.

Hunk and Shay were also engaged, although it had been rather recently. Five months ago, to be exact. Pidge and Keith on the other hand? They weren't even living in their own house; they were boarding with Pidge's parents and a far cry from being engaged. They were each toying with the idea, but there wasn't an engagement in sight in the near future.

It wasn't like Keith didn't want to propose, it was just that he couldn't find the right time. Of course he already had the ring; it was stored away in his old room in the back of his old sock drawer. There was just never the right time. They were always busy either taking care of Zoe or working, and they rarely had time to go out as a true couple. Come to think of it, their last official date was probably three months ago.

It wasn't like he was toying with the idea if this was the right choice or not either. He absolutely adored Pidge, and wanted to spend the rest of his life with the girl who meant the universe to him. But, he couldn't find the right moment, and it was starting to annoy both him and her, unbeknownst to Keith. Pidge was also starting to become impatient, often ranting to Allura that her boyfriend was a chicken who wouldn't propose like she used to complain about him back when they were teenagers.

Six years had flown by quickly, and they had never broken up between those six years, which was pretty impressive. What was more impressive to everyone was that they were willing to have a child together, but not ready to get engaged or even buy a house together.

"We're working on it," was all that they would say before swiftly changing the subject. It was mostly brought up around the time Pidge announced she was pregnant with Zoe, a few months after they had graduated college.

Zoe. Just the name brought a smile to his face. While it was true that she looked more like her mom, she had Keith's eyes and smile with his hair color, but the rest was all Pidge. She had Pidge's nose, wide eyes, face shape, and a startling high amount of energy and curiosity that had ended up with her almost falling down the stairs a couple of times. She was an angel sent from above, and he adored her. What he did _not_ adore was the questions about why he was still living with Pidge's parents rather than buying his own home for his family.

Keith emitted a small sigh. For being the couple that everyone knew would get together and eventually marry one another, they were taking a long ass time to do it.

"Oh no," Pidge said as she picked Zoe back up, arching a brow, "you have that look on your face. What's wrong now?"

Keith shook his head, plastering a small smile on his face. "Nothing! I'm just uh, kinda hungry, that's all."

Pidge shook her unimpressively. "You're lying through your teeth, I know it. Let me put Zoe to sleep and then we'll talk about it, okay?"

Keith winced. "You know, it's fine, it's not that serious—"

"Keith," Pidge said sternly, narrowing her eyes, "shut up and listen to me. I'll put Zoe to sleep, and then we'll talk. Sound good?"

Keith knew better than to argue with her, and resisting the urge to continue the argument, he instead bit his lip and nodded.

Pidge smiled satisfactorily, walking towards him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Good," she murmured before walking upstairs with Zoe, the toddler insisting that it was not bedtime the entire time.

Keith chuckled to himself before heading into the kitchen, pulling Pidge's laptop closer to him as he took a seat at the table, frowning as he went through the various tabs that she had opened up. They were all about homes in the area, and ones at extremely good prices, too. He had to admit, he was impressed. She always had a habit for finding the best things at a cheap price.

Keith stopped scrolling when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, arching a brow as he pulled it out. He rolled his eyes when he read the caller ID, answering the call and propping his phone up next to his ear. "What do you want, Shiro?"

" _Is Zoe sleeping yet_?" Shiro questioned.

"Possibly," Keith replied, narrowing his eyes suspiciously unbeknownst to his brother. "Why? Did you want to bring the kids over for a sleepover or something?"

" _No no, I just wanted to ask if we could all come over to do something together at Pidge's house. After all, no one else is going to be home until like two, right?_ "

"Right..." Keith shook his head. "What are you going to do with the kids? They aren't exactly the age to be left alone and unsupervised, Shiro."

" _Coran already said he'd cover for us and to enjoy ourselves wherever we were going. Come on Keith_ ," Shiro urged, " _when's the last time we all hung out together_?"

"Two weeks ago at the bowling alley for my birthday, remember?"

" _Oh come on, Keith. I already told Lance and Hunk to meet us at your place_ —"

"Great. You let the host know last. That's just wonderful," Keith said sarcastically. "Okay look, you guys can come over, but you're leaving as soon as one of you cracks a yawn, got it? I'm not going to have all of you crackheads fall asleep on the couch again."

" _Crackheads, us? That's the Galra, Keith. Besides, we know our place. We'll be out of your hair by one at the latest, okay_?"

"I'll see you in a while then. Be careful when you drive though. It's raining a shitload out there."

" _Aw_ ," Shiro cooed from the opposite line, " _you do care! I always knew you cared_!"

"Bye," Keith said loudly before hanging up, shaking his head. Stupid Shiro and his clinginess. He couldn't go a week without seeing Keith or Pidge, or just anyone from their neighborhood if he was being honest. Shiro and Allura only lived a couple of blocks away, but they always found some excuse to show up at Aiko's house.

Keith returned his attention to the computer screen, eyeing the different houses for sale. They were all nice and all, but the one closest to the neighborhood was a block away. As much as Keith hated to admit it, he didn't want to leave the neighborhood. He had made too many memories here.

"Was that Shiro talking with you?" Pidge asked from the kitchen doorframe, quirking a brow.

"Yep," Keith answered, sighing exasperatedly. "He's coming over, and he so graciously invited Lance and Hunk over, leaving me, the host, to know last," he said dryly. "Don't you love older siblings?"

Pidge snorted, walking over towards Keith and resting an elbow on his shoulder. "I haven't seen Matt since your birthday at the bowling alley two weeks ago, and I'm doing well without him. I think Shiro's just a little bit too clingy to the neighborhood," she mused aloud.

"You're telling me," Keith said in amusement. "Although, I think that I am way too attached to this neighborhood too. I couldn't imagine living out of it."

"That's why I started looking for other places around the area. All of the ones on this block aren't currently for sale, except for one one at the corner in front of the park," Pidge said, taking the laptop from Keith and sliding it in front of her, typing into it quickly.

"That's perfect though," Keith said, frowning. "Zoe can go to the park anytime she wants and we won't have to leave the area."

"It's three hundred thousand, Keith," Pidge said, showing him the price on the screen. "Are you really wiling to pay that amount for a house? It's expensive."

"Hey, it's better than Shiro's was. The guy bought a house for five hundred thousand," Keith said, jutting his lip out. "Three hundred thousand is moderate, Pidge. Besides, do you really want to leave the neighborhood? I've grown attached to it and I know you have too, so don't lie."

Pidge let out a sigh, toying with her necklace. "Of course I don't want to leave, but thats three hundred thousand dollars, Keith. I really don't think—"

"Pidge," Keith said determinedly, turning around and clasping his hands around hers, "we're going to get that house. We'll call up the owner and claim it, and we'll figure something out from there, okay? We both want to stay in the area, so we'll do it."

Pidge arched a brow, a playful smirk taking over her features. "You're really not going to give this up, are you?"

"Nope," Keith said, smiling at her. "It's a perfect house, and I'm not going to let it slip away."

Pidge chuckled. "Look at us being fucking adults. Where are our teenage selves?"

"They're still here, and I can see it when you start cursing like a sailor during Monopoly," Keith said in amusement, evading Pidge's hand as she swatted at his face.

"Shut up!" She laughed, playfully pushing his face.

Keith grinned. "It's kind of hot though, not gonna lie," he teased, gleefully watching as she rolled her eyes, her smile persisting.

"Okay, what's up with all the flintiness today? Did you accidentally drink wine instead of water at the restaurant again?" She asked, holding Keith's hands in front of her.

"No," Keith said, pulling Pidge onto his lap, "I just feel like being affectionate. It's hard when Zoe's up and about, you know. Oh, and how'd she get downstairs butt naked? She can't climb downstairs yet," Keith asked curiously.

Pidge groaned. "She was on the bed one minute and the next she took the lid off her toy box and slid down the stairs. I have no idea how the hell she knew how to do that, but I only realized she was downstairs when I heard BaeBae barking."

"You know, I don't know if that's more of something that you would do or something I would do," Keith said, laughing. "She's smart for a one year old. She takes after her mom," Keith teased.

"Of course she does, because her dad's a fucking idiot who had a chance of being valedictorian but blew it because he 'didn't feel like studying'," Pidge said, eyeing her boyfriend exasperatedly. 

Keith whistled. "Wow, bringing up high school and my education. I am sooo offended," Keith deadpanned, eyeing Pidge with a bored expression. "That was six years ago, Pidge. You know, back when uh," he said, making hand gestures, "the bitch was still around."

Pidge rolled her eyes. "You can just say Lotor, you know. It's not like he's going to show up just because you say his name. If he did, I'd be pretty fucking concerned, not gonna lie."

Keith snorted. "I have nothing against him, but don't you think that it's suspicious that the Galra and their 'quint-whatever' started spreading it around Altea around the same time he said he would be back? It's pretty fishy, if you ask me," Keith said.

Pidge quirked a brow. "If Lotor was here, he'd probably be dead. I'm pretty sure the Galra still have a price for his head."

"Well maybe if he didn't start spreading the Galra version of super fancy crack then he wouldn't have a price tag on his head."

"Ugh."

The doorbell rang, Pidge and Keith exchanging tired glances before Pidge got up, slowly walking towards the door.

"I've got it," she said, opening the front door and glaring at the figures standing in front of her.

"Pidge Podge!" Lance greeted, a smile on his face. "Your greeting smile has never been more radiant than it is now."

"Oh fuck off," she said, crossing her arms. "You guys didn't even let me make any popcorn or something. How many times do I have to tell you that if you want to come over you have to at least give us a two hour warning?"

Shiro smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that, Pidge. We just thought that it might be fun to play Monopoly or Uno for a while since your parents are gone. That way we won't bother them too much, you know what I mean?"

Pidge looked at him unimpressed. "Mhm, yep. Totally understand." She sighed, allowing them to pass into the Holt residence one by one, all of them chattering as they walked in.

"Would you guys mind?" Keith asked impatiently, gesturing up the stairs. "Zoe is sleeping and I really don't feel like putting her to sleep again."

"Excuse me?" Pidge asked incredulously, shuttling the door closed behind her and putting her hands on her hips. "In case you forgot, _I_ was the one who put Zoe to sleep. Don't take credit for something you didn't do," she scolded, waving a finger in front of his face.

Keith rolled his eyes. "Yes Pidge," He said mockingly, ducking out of the way to avoid being hit by his girlfriend again.

Lance groaned. "Ugh, you guys still argue like eighteen year olds. Have you not grown out of it yet?"

"Just because you're twenty five doesn't automatically mean that you're better than us," Keith retorted, wrinkling his nose. "I mean, look at Shiro! He's thirty something and he still acts like a jackass."

"I'm twenty nine..." Shiro said softly, his brows creasing together. "Allura, do I really look that old?"

"Do you want to hear the truth or what you want to hear me say?" Allura asked.

"Both?"

"Yes, you look old but that's because you stay up until three doing whatever on your computer. I personally think your white hair makes you look even older," she teased, grinning.

Hunk arched a brow. "Is it just me or did Shiro's hair get whiter? Oh my god," he breathed, "is Shiro actually getting old?"

"And now, the weather," Pidge said monotonously, inducing a cackle from her boyfriend.

Allura rolled her eyes. "Really Pidge? Six years later, and you still haven't matured."

"Hey, I may be a mom but like you said when you were my age, and I quote," Pidge said, clearing her throat, "I am not a mature adult."

"She has a point," Keith said, wrapping an arm around Pidge's shoulders. "We may have a kid together but we're far from being mature. I think we just force ourselves to act like adults around Zoe so she doesn't know her parents are complete morons."

"You're the moron, Keith. I am the intellectual moron," Pidge said, crossing her arms across her chest. She faced Hunk, smiling.

"Did you bring cookies or something? I'm starving."

"You just ate a while ago with Zoe!" Keith said in disbelief.

"I am always hungry," Pidge replied, raising a hand up to silence him. "Oh shit, Zoe really does take after me. Fuck," she said, "I cursed my child to have the worse eyesight in the world."

"Maybe she'll be blessed with Keith's ability to fight?" Hunk suggested, shrugging. "I don't know man. I don't have a kid, and I have no idea how they work."

"They're not machines, Hunk," Lance said, eyeing Hunk incredulously. "You make them sound like they're tools or something. Kids are a huge responsibility, which leads me to believe that Pidge and Keith obviously forgot to use a condom when Zoe was made," he joked.

Pidge's eyes narrowed into slits, Keith's eyes widening as he felt her tense up.

"Listen here you piece of shit. Zoe was not an accident, and I love—"

"Yeesh calm down, momma bear!" Lance screeched, waving her away. "I didn't mean it like that, okay? It was just a shitty joke, but ignore it. I really don't feel like explaining to Plax why her fiancé has a black eye."

"Maybe you should stop being so insensible and suggesting things that aren't true then," Allura said, eyeing Lance sternly.

Lance's shoulder sagged. "Fine. I'm sorry, Pidge."

"Hmph."

Keith squeezed her shoulders, rubbing her arm gently with his hand. "Should we play UNO or Monopoly?" He asked gently, shooting Lance a glare.

"Monopoly so I can destroy this son of a bitch," Pidge managed to say, sending Lance a death glare.

Hunk sighed. "You guys always have to fight about something. Two weeks ago it was pineapple on pizza for the hundredth time, and now it's just plain insensible bullshit." He frowned. "What you two need to do is hug it out," he declared.

"There is no way I am touching that burnt piece of—"

"Yeah, let's not finish that sentence," Shiro interrupted, looking at Pidge disappointedly.

Pidge shrunk back, narrowing her eyes at Shiro. "Your dad eyes won't work on me this time, Shiro. I have a kid now; I know how to make people writhe under my glares."

"As if you didn't know how to do that already," Allura said, quirking a brow.

Lance sighed impatiently. "Are we going to play a game or not? I didn't drive in the rain just to talk about looks!"

"I hate you," Pidge declared, shooting him a glare before heading into the hallway closet, pulling out the Monopoly board and setting it in the center of the living room floor and sitting down in front of it.

"The feeling is mutual," Lance muttered, taking a seat across from her and staring gloomily at the board.

"Ugh," Hunk complained, arching a brow. "Can you two like, not argue over this? Lance was being a jackass and Pidge, you know how he jokes. They're way over the line, but that's just how Lance's jokes are. Apologize to each other already," he said exasperatedly.

Pidge rolled her eyes. "I said it once and I'll say it again. I don't forgive jackasses so quickly after they've wronged me, especially by saying that my kid was a mistake," she hissed, glaring at Lance.

Lance scoffed. "Seriously? Wronged you? I didn't mean it like that, but you want to go ahead and get sooo offended. Also, you don't forgive jackasses? What the hell happened with Lotor six years ago, then? You forgave him as soon as he started trying to act good, but for all we know, he could just be off planning our demise because you trusted him!"

"Why the hell are you bringing that up?!" Pidge hissed, her eyes narrowing into slits. "That was six years ago, grow the fuck up and forget about it! Lotor isn't coming back, so just stop bringing him up! I know I made mistakes when I was a teen, but you dont have to rub them up to justify every fucking argument!"

"Pidge," Keith said worriedly, "You're going to wake up Zoe. Calm down."

"I can't!" She snarled, pointing angrily at Lance. "He always finds a way to bring up someone who isn't even a part of our lives anymore, and it's pissing me the fuck off!"

"You were the one who started yelling about nothing!" Lance screeched, standing up. "You get so offended over everything, Pidge! If we call you out on your bullshit, then you get pissed, and if we say the truth, you also get pissed! I didn't mean any harm with my freaking words; you just chose to think that it meant something wrong when it didn't!"

"You fucking piece of shit!"

"Enough!" Shiro said, standing in between the two and kicking the Monopoly board to the side, glaring at the two standing on the opposite sides of him. "You two are adults, not teenagers. Lance, what happened in the past stays in the past, and Pidge, you need to stop feeling targeted by everyone around you. We came here to have some fun together, not argue like children. You two are going to apologize to each other now like the mature adults you are!"

Pidge hissed at Lance, Lance sticking his tongue out childishly in response.

"Great," Hunk muttered, "not even one day into the week and we're already arguing like crazy."

"Pidge," Allura said sternly, "I know how upsetting what Lance said must be, but trust me, what he did was in a joking manner. You two used to love joking like that...what happened?" She asked softly, her eyes full of sadness.

Pidge and Lance both stopped glaring at each other and stared at Allura, the room suddenly all too quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the rain falling from the sky outside and the loud rumble of thunder in the distance.

Pidge shook her head. "I...what?"

Lance frowned. "We used to joke all the time like that, and you never said anything even when I brought it up during your pregnancy. What happened to us joking?"

"I dont know," Pidge mumbled, frowning. "Do you think..."

"Think what?" Keith asked gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you think that it's because its November and thats the month when everything sorta...you know, went to shit?" She suggested, lowering her gaze. "Ugh," she grunted in annoyance, "I'm such an idiot. Why the hell am I getting so upset over your stupid comment? It's pointless!"

"You tell me," Lance said. "You were the one who got offended, not me."

Allura sighed. "I think we're all just a little concerned over Lotor. There have been rumors that he might return sometime in the near future."

"Fuck," Pidge murmured. "He still finds a way to interfere with our friendship six years after the stupid prom shit."

"You know, when I came over to play Monopoly I never expected to be talking about Lotor," Hunk said, shrugging. "Do we always have to bring him up? For all we know, the guy could be as dead as a doornail by now with how many people are after him."

"Or he could be the one in charge of all the Galra drug increase," Keith said, pursing his lips. "That 'quint-whatever' is taking over the Galra side so fast, and it can't be a coincidence that it's happening during the time frame Lotor said he would be back."

"Except there's no solid proof that he's back," Pidge intercepted, crossing her arms across her chest, temporarily forgetting her squabble with Lance. "Besides, if anyone is behind it, it's probably Zarkon or his creepy wife. She is the one who makes medicine, and Lotor is just Lotor. He's not a real threat, and hasn't been one since he left Altea. He has no resources and no help whatsoever, so he isn't capable of doing something like that."

"But what if he could?" Keith said, frowning. "Krolia once told me that Alteans and Galra have some kind of magic running through their veins, one with dark magic and the other with light. It came from their ancestors."

"Magic? You're crazy," Lance said, pursing his lips. "Magic isn't real, mullet. I think you've been reading too many fairytale stories to Zoe."

"It's allegedly true," Allura said, crossing her arms across her chest. "Alteans were associated with light magic from supposed ancient aliens just as Galra were associated with dark magic, also from aliens. There are records of ancient incantations that supposedly help heal, but no one knows how to use them and have been claimed as a hoax."

"Bullshit," Lance stated, shaking his head. "Magic isn't real."

"If you say so," Hunk said. "I personally would love to talk about something that isn't about the Galra. We've spent what, an hour screaming at each other about Galra stuff when we originally planned on playing Monopoly or something."

"I'm hungry," Keith complained. "Anyone feel like taking drive to McDonald's?"

"It's raining and no one wants to eat McDonald's," Lance said tiredly. "We should just play DnD or something, I don't know. I'm suddenly too tired to do anything anymore."

Pidge rolled her eyes. "Keith, I told you that there was a food on the table when you walked in after work. Do you ever listen to me?"

"I was too busy looking for houses, mind you," Keith responded. "Besides, I wasn't hungry then. I'm hungry now, though."

"We went from talking about Monopoly to kids to Lotor and now food. Are we never going to have a decent straightforward conversation?" Hunk questioned.

"No," everyone replied, leaving Hunk to cross his arms across his chest and look to the side.

"It's basic knowledge that we can never stay on one topic," Pidge said blandly, picking up the Monopoly board from where Shiro had kicked it. "So are we playing Monopoly or not?"

"Sure," Keith said, taking the dog figure out of the box and holding it in his palm gently. "I'll take this one."

"They don't have a paladin piece," Shiro muttered disappointedly. "I don't like this game."

"Shiro, you're already a paladin of Voltron, remember?" Keith said, arching a brow. "Why would you want to be a paladin now?"

"I should write to Monopoly manufacturers and order them to get me a paladin piece."

"Yeah how about we don't do that?" Pidge said, taking the box back from Shiro and holding it in her hands. "Seriously Shiro, just pick a piece and move on."

"If you really want a paladin piece why don't you make one yourself?" Allura questioned, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "We could stop by the store tomorrow and buy some materials to make your own custom piece."

"Why don't we just use our lions as pieces?" Lance asked, arching a brow. "You know, they're pretty small."

"If your definition of small is half the length of the Monopoly board then yes, they're small," Pidge said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "We haven't even seen the lions for years now. Ever since Altea Uni saw our design they've basically taken the lion models and haven't given them back for some strange reason."

"Hey, what if Voltron were made real?" Lance asked, grinning. "Do you know how cool that'd be? We could be saving the universe!"

"Voltron was made as a fantasy for our senior year robotics project, Lance. Also, don't you remember just how complex it is? It involves magic, and there's no magic in this world. Not to my knowledge, at least."

Allura shifted her gaze nervously, shrugging while taking a seat on the couch beside Shiro. "There's definitely no magic, just rumors."

Shiro's gaze flickered to his wife before he raised his head, staring at the window with narrowed eyes.

Pidge arched a brow, spotting Shiro's concerned expression. "Shiro? Are you okay?"

"I could've sworn I just heard a car pull into the driveway," Shiro said in confusion, scratching the back of his head. "Did any of you invite Matt over?"

"Oh, I did," Lance said, raising a hand. "He said he probably wasn't going to come over though. Guess he changed his mind," he said excitedly.

Pidge sighed. "You guys just love throwing parties and not telling me who's invited, don't you? Now I actually have to make some popcorn or something."

"Oh lighten up," Keith teased, nudging her gently with his shoulder. "You know you're going to be the first one to eat it and finish it."

"Maybe so," Pidge said, shrugging, "but I still don't feel like getting up."

"Come on," Keith teased, smirking.

"You officially suck," Pidge laughed, shaking her head as Keith helped her up.

A sudden knock was heard at the door, everyone in the room eyeing it curiously but making no attempt to get up.

Pidge rolled her eyes. "Really? Do I have to do everything myself?"

"Well it is your brother and your house, you know," Lance said, gesturing towards the door.

Pidge sighed up and walked towards the door grudgingly, not even bothering to check who was at the door through the peep hole. She rolled her eyes before flinging the door open, crossing her arms and shaking her head in annoyance, looking down at the ground.

"You better have a damn good explanation for showing up so late!"

"My apologies, but the flight was delayed," a smooth voice replied.

Pidge immediately snapped her neck up and gasped, her eyes going wide and her mouth hanging agape. Gasps were emitted from everyone in the living room, everyone frozen in place as they stared at the figure in a dark grey overcoat and black jeans standing in the doorframe.

Pidge gaped at the figure, her eyes widening by the second as she stared into those purple orbs that she remembered from her days as a senior in high school, from her days as his supposed girlfriend, and from her days of pain and suffering.

"Lotor?" She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lotor looked down at her, a small smile on his face. "Hello, Katie."

The last thing he saw before completely passing out was Allura standing in the doorframe in a punching stance and Pidge's shocked expression before everything went dark and he collapsed on the Holt front porch on a stormy night in November, six years after he had last been home.


	2. We're Just Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lotor has a special request for Pidge, and no one is willing to give him what he wants, especially Allura.

Krolia eyed the money on the coffee table skeptically, arching a brow as as Sam Holt threw another ten dollar bill onto the already large pile.

"Are you sure that you have enough money to gamble it all away?"

"I'm not sure," Sam replied, "but I am sure that I will win this game no matter what it takes."

"Egoistic Holt genes are shining through," Aiko murmured. "Typical Holt. Remind me why my son is dating your daughter again?"

"Because they love one another, we've discussed this," Keith's father replied, shrugging. "Now, back to the game—"

"I'm all out of money," Krolia replied, sighing. "I think I'll just watch."

"What a bummer," Aiko said before returning her attention to the game, holding her deck of cards in front of her. "Now, be ready to suffer to my winning streak!"

Krolia shook her head before sitting back on the couch, watching in amusement as Colleen made Aiko throw another ten dollar bill onto the already large stack of money. Out of nowhere, her phone started ringing, causing Krolia to arch a confused brow. Pulling it out from her pocket, she grew more alarmed as she realized Keith was the one calling her.

Krolia excused herself to go to the bathroom, rushing upstairs and slamming the door shut. She answered the call, her nervousness growing by the second. "Keith? What's wrong? Did you accidentally poison your chid?"

" _Krolia! There's a body in the living room and we don't know what to do with it_ ," she managed to hear Keith say over the screaming in the background between Allura and Pidge.

"A what?"

" _There's a body in the living room! He's not dead but he might be if you don't get over here and stop Allura from killing him_!" Keith said in a panicked tone. " _Allura, no! You can't kill him_!"

" _Step aside, Keith_!"

Krolia furrowed her brows, pinching the bridge of her nose before shaking her head. "Okay look, at the rate the game is going, Pidge's parents will be home in two hours. We have two hours to fix whatever mess you did and if there's a dead body by the end of this then we'll have to get Kolivan to help, got it?"

" _Allura, stop! Okay, I got it, but hurry_!" Keith urged before hanging up. The last thing Krolia managed to hear was a loud battle cry from presumably Allura and Shiro yelling for her to calm down.

She quickly put her phone back in her pocket before rushing downstairs and pulling her jacket off the couch and tugging it on, receiving stares of confusion from Aiko and the other parents present.

"Where are you going?" Aiko asked, arching a brow. "It's raining like crazy out there!"

"Kolivan needs me to meet up with him for some important Blade business," Krolia swiftly replied, zippering up her jacket and pulling her umbrella off the floor. "I have no more money left to gamble away, so I might as well leave too."

"Well, take care," Colleen said, slightly frowning. "You'll be back to visit tomorrow, I assume?"

"Yes. I'll see you tomorrow," Krolia said before walking out of the house with her umbrella, shutting the door closed behind her. She immediately made a beeline for the Holt residence next door, knocking on the door quickly before quickly being pulled inside by Keith.

"Where's the body?" Krolia demanded, furrowing her brows.

"This way," Keith replied, obviously out of breath. "We had to...restrain Allura before she...killed him," he huffed, motioning towards the kitchen.

Krolia shook her head. "What body are you talking about?"

"Krolia!" Pidge said in relief, her shoulders relaxing. "The body is on the couch," she said, pointing towards the couch and supporting her boyfriend, who was staring intently at an extremely pissed Allura that was tied to a kitchen chair.

Krolia frowned before cautiously walking towards the couch, her eyes widening as they she stood directly over the unconscious body.

"Oh my."

"Kill him!" Allura screeched, Shiro wincing and attempting to calm her down by rubbing her back gently.

"When did he show up?" Krolia asked, a hint of disbelief in her tone.

"Fifteen minutes ago," Pidge replied, biting her lip. "I was going to tell him to walk away, but Allura being Allura punched him and now he's unconscious on my couch and I have no idea what to do with him," she said frustratedly.

"In her defense, it was proper action to take," Lance said, defending Allura. "If you had turned him away he would've just come back like a kid who doesn't take no for an answer."

"I'd rather deal with that than have an almost dead man on my couch," Pidge responded before scowling, narrowing her eyes. "What are we supposed to do with him now?"

"I could think of twenty different things to do with him," Hunk replied, smirking. "Want to hear them?"

"If any of them include killing him, then no," Pidge flatly replied. Upon seeing Hunk's smirk disappear and be replaced by a pout, she rolled her eyes.

"So you all want to kill him, huh?"

"I love you, but I am not allowing a man who fucked up our lives six years ago back into our home," Keith replied, frowning. "He's dangerous, Pidge. He just shows up out of nowhere and we're expected to not act how we did? I think Allura's actions were perfectly normal considering the fact that he uh, I don't know, almost tried to destroy us!" Keith said.

Pidge emitted a frustrated sigh. "I can't disagree with that."

She turned to face Lotor's body, which was lying face down on the couch, slow breaths coming out of his body. "Even if her actions were justified, what are we supposed to do with the body?"

"Maybe we could—"

A loud wail erupted through the home, everyone wincing while Pidge and Keith only sighed tiredly, casting one another a look.

"Me or you?"

"I've got her," Pidge said, walking upstairs and into her room, which had been transformed into a temporary room for Zoe.

"Great job Allura, you woke up the mini Pidge," Hunk said, frowning. "Man, that kid is going to be exactly like Keith and Pidge when she grows up."

"Obviously. It's genetics," Shiro replied as if it was obvious.

"That's not what I—"

A groan interrupted their conversation, the room becoming silent as Lotor grunted and slowly came back to reality. Allura's eyes widened and she furiously tried to loosen her bound hands, snarling as Lotor turned his body to face the ceiling, blinking blearily as he adjusted to the light.

"Oh no," Keith said, paling. "He's awake."

"No shit Sherlock!" Lance responded, eyes wide.

"What...hello?" Lotor asked before spotting Keith, immediately sitting up and and going wide eyed. "Gah!"

"Hey, you're not a sight for sore eyes either, pal," Hunk said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"What are you even doing here, Lotor?" Lance asked, eyeing Lotor critically. "You disappear and come back six years later out of nowhere for what? Start explaining before we let Allura loose and have her kill you."

Lotor frowned, shaking his head. "My intentions aren't to harm you. I simply came back as I promised, and I did not expect to be punched into a coma by Allura," he said dryly, glaring at Allura. "I just came back to make things right, thats all. I can't do that without your help, though. Where's Katie?" He asked, looking around.

"Why do you need her?" Keith immediately responded, a surge of overprotectiveness washing over him. "Why can't you just tell one of us?"

"Because she's the only out of all of you that will understand," Loror replied smoothly. "Now tell me, where is she? I need to speak to her."

"She's busy," Keith replied, narrowing his eyes. "She has a life outside of you, believe it or not."

"Oh, like you?" Lotor asked, arching a brow. "My, aren't we overprotective?" He remarked, a slight smirk taking over his face. "Good to see you haven't changed."

"Oh you piece of—"

"Keith!" Pidge called out from the top of the staircase, slowly descending from the second floor with Zoe in her arms, "Keep your mouth shut!"

"Hmph," Keith said before turning to glare at Lotor, reaching for his pocket knife. "You're on thin ice, Lotor. Fuck up, and you're dead," he hissed before walking over towards Pidge, taking Zoe from her arms and holding her in his arms tightly.

Pidge walked towards Lotor, her brows furrowed and her face serious.

"Katie," Lotor breathed, smiling, "you haven't changed a bit. How are you?"

"I've been better," she replied, her frown persisting. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to be gone," she said, tone laced with disbelief. "You left without saying anything or a way to find you, and expect us to welcome you with open arms as soon as you arrive back in Altea? As far as we're concerned, you're a stranger, Lotor."

Lotor frowned. "I did not come back to ask anything personal, Katie, I simply came to ask for aid to help take over the Galra and take over as ruler instead of Zarkon. It's not that complicated to understand. I come not for self gain, but for help."

Keith frowned, stepping next Pidge, Zoe staring intently at Lotor with the same expression her two parents were exhibiting.

"Why would you come to us for help? We don't know you, like Pidge said. The last time we ever spoke was six years ago, and even then we didn't fully trust you. You can't just disappear off the face of the earth and come back and just expect us to help you. That's not happening, end of story," Keith snapped, holding onto Zoe more tightly.

"No," Zoe said, pouting and shaking her head, agreeing with her father.

Lotor shifted his attention from Keith towards Zoe, dark purple meetings light purple eyes. He looked at her curiously, the little girl imitating her mother's angry frown. He observed her, looking her over as if he was memorizing her face.

"Who's this?" He asked suddenly, nodding towards Zoe. "Is she yours?" He asked Keith, arching a brow.

"Yes," Keith replied, a sudden smug smile taking over his face as he pulled Pidge closer, the woman eyeing her boyfriend wearily while Zoe only smiled as she reached out towards her mother.

"Congratulations," Lotor said before turning his attention to Pidge. "She looks exactly like you."

"She is my kid," Pidge said before smiling slightly as Zoe stuck her tongue out at her mother, as if trying to get her to stop frowning so much.

"So you two are...together?"

"Depends on what version of together you mea," Hunk said saltily, pouting and turning to face Lance. "Why is he asking so many questions?"

"I don't trust him," Lance replied, eyeing Lotor intently. "There's something off about him that I don't like."

"I assure you that the only 'off' thing about me is the new hairstyle," Lotor said, pointing at his hair, which was noticeably longer than it had been before. "I came for help, not to be a threat. If I wanted to harm you, you'd all be dead already," he said bitterly.

Pidge exchanged a look with Keith, who was shaking his head, Zoe imitating her father.

"Keith—"

"No."

"No," Zoe replied, pouting. "He bad. Daddy no like."

"That child learned how to talk so fast," Shiro murmured. "Allura, why aren't our children geniuses?"

"Shiro shut up!" Allura hissed before glaring at Pidge. "Pidge, you can't seriously be thinking of helping him! Do you not remember what he did before? You can't trust that sort of person!"

Pidge lowered her gaze, staring at the ground. "Allura, I appreciate what you're trying to say, but I really don't see what the problem is right now."

"First of all, there's a lot of problems," Lance interrupted, putting a finger up. "Let's start with the fact that this guy has promised not to hurt you before but ended up backstabbing you for his own self gain. Secondly, Lotor has been gone for so many years that he could be planning revenge that could ultimately destroy us more than it did before. Third," he paused, eyeing Lotor cynically, "we have nothing to gain from this and he's a piece of shit that should not be trusted at all!"

"Well from one 'piece of shit', as you call it, to another piece of shit, I am not doing anything for self gain," Lotor snapped. "I'm doing this to fix the mess that Zarkon has created between the Galra and Alteans, and you all know what I'm referring to."

"The rising amounts of dispute between Galra and Alteans was caused by you, not Zarkon!" Allura shouted, her brows twitching angrily.

"It's your fault that there have been mass protests to have the Galra removed from Altea and it's also your fault that there's basically a civil war between the Altea citizens! Altea was once the city of prime excellence, the crown jewel of the state, and it has now been degraded to a city akin to all those in the south where there has been nothing but war between the opposing races!"

Lotor scowled. "Do you really think that's the reason why there's a war between the Galra and Alteans? I merely exposed the hatred that had been instilled in the city since Alfor and Zarkon spilt ways after the betrayal between them. Even though I didn't start it, I could end it with your help!"

Krolia frowned. "I don't trust this."

Shiro furrowed his brows. "How do you get a whole city that has only known hatred for most of its existence to suddenly stop and live at peace?"

Lotor smirked. "I give them what they want, which is quintessence."

"I knew it!" Keith's shouted. "I knew he was behind the whole sudden surge in quintessence!"

Lotor shook his head. "No, it's not me. I've been hiding out in New York for the past six years and just came back to see the chaos that had been instilled by Haggar. She was the one who called me back to restore order to the Galra side of the city since Zarkon hasn't been able to rule properly."

"Haggar is behind the quintessence surge?" Krolia asked, pinching her brows together. "How?"

"Quintessence is a medical drug that is used to temporarily calm a patient and has been shown to show properties of being able to heal and have a patient live longer. With Haggar, she is probably using it to keep Zarkon alive since last I heard, he's been having struggles after Keith shot him. Good job on that, by the way," Lotor said, eyeing Keith.

Keith frowned. "Go on with your story, Lotor."

Lotor nodded. "As I was saying, Haggar is using quintessence to keep Zarkon alive for the time being. At high doses, however, it has the opposite effect and makes a once calm person act brash and violent in ways that can be deadly. It's also been used to increase power throughout the Galra territory, which we'll call an empire just for the sake of how the leaders of the south are treated."

Allura scowled. "This makes no sense. Why would you give the Galra what they want?"

"As a form of appeasement, Allura. The more quintessence they receive, the more likely they'll listen to me. I could make sure that they stop starting rivalries with the people in Altea City and that there is peace between them, if Alfor agrees with me."

Pidge shook her head. "Wait, you're seriously still on your plan that you had since senior year? Are you nuts?! That's never going to work!"

"What plan?" Keith asked, looking between his girlfriend and Lotor with a deep frown. "What did you talk about that you didn't tell us?"

"I never told you because it involved killing people," she snapped, refusing to meet Keith's eyes. "He had a whole ass plan similar to this, and it was complete and utter bullshit!"

Lotor frowned. "This one doesn't involve killing anyone! Well, not anyone you care about, at least."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lance asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

"My plan is focused on taking down Zarkon form his position, ending his life once and for all and then taking care of the aftermath. I could work with Alfor—"

"My father isn't the head of Altea Industries; I am!" Allura snapped, growling. "I would never work with such a vile creature like you! You tore my friends and family apart and you suddenly expect us to help you? You're only going to backstab us in the end, and it will all go down the drain!"

"You dwell on the past while I see into the future," Lotor flared back. "You're only saying that because you're Alfor's daughter and have loyalty to him. You were once my friend, but that's all gone now because of what my father did, right? You let yourself be swayed by events that happened in the past so much that you're blind to the truth!"

"And what truth is there to believe?! You always lie!"

"The truth is that you all need me now or else you won't survive!" He snarled, his temper finally getting the worst of him. "You're all in danger, and I'm trying to fix things before one of you potentially dies!"

A hush fell over the room as Lotor spoke, Hunk looking around at everyone's shocked expressions.

"Wait just a second," Hunk said suspiciously, "how are we in danger?"

Pidge frowned. "What do you mean, Lotor?"

Lotor let out a reluctant sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I didn't want to tell you immediately, but Haggar has been on the hunt for all of you for the past six years. She's been monitoring your lives and weaknesses, and she knows practically everything about you. She's planning your demise, I can feel it, and I know the result aren't going to be pretty," he said bitterly.

Allura scowled. "This is all your fault. The Galra—"

"—Only act out of instinct because you prevented my ascension to the leading position," Lotor flared back, eyeing Allura critically. "If you had let the entire plan fall into place and hadn't intervened, you wouldn't be in this mess, but being the heroes, you felt the need to destroy a plan that would've brought peace."

"That plan would've only brought more hatred and war," Keith spat. "Ending your plan was worth saving the countless lives that would've been sacrificed. You're lucky that you didn't actually kill people with the bomb you set off, or else the lawsuit would've been heavily against you for killing Altean citizens."

"How stupid," Lotor said, shaking his head in disappointment, "you still fail to see the larger picture. A few lives being lost aren't important if the end goal is successful."

"Damn, Machiavelli much?" Lance said, eyeing Lotor cynically. "That's such bullshit! Killing people is never the solution to anything!"

Shiro frowned. "The many lives saved were worth giving up the peace. The tensions were bound to break even without our intervention, and we only revealed the hatred between Alteans and the Galra. Killing, like Lance said, is never the solution to anything," he said firmly.

"Thank you, Shiro!" Lance said exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air. "What you did was wrong, Lotor, and you know it! Killing people is never the solution."

"Your urge to kill shows how much you're like your parents," Allura hissed, her eyes meeting Lotor's. "Bringing peace is only a lie that you use to gain power! You'll end up ruining Altea once and for all, leaving the Galra to go on a rampage as lunatics high on quintessence!"

Lotor's eyes narrowed into slits. "I only came to help you, Allura. Maybe you should think twice before saying something that you don't know of what you speak of. I've spent six years trying to come up with a plan that would keep all of you safe while ensuring that there would be no war between the Galra and Alteans!"

"Which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't attempted to kill Altea's leaders!" Allura screamed, her fists trembling. "There is a war out there with drugs and rivalries that you caused, and you can't fix it! No one can fix whatever is happening out there, so find another reason to beg for help or so help me you are going to be locked up in prison for attempted manslaughter for the rest of your life!"

"Allura," Shiro started, only to have his wife shoot him a glare full of hatred.

"Don't interrupt, Shiro! We can't trust this...this thing!"

"What would you know about making decisions?" Lotor snapped, raising his neck up. "All your life you've waited for your father to make choices for you, and you've never done anything for yourself. You are a paradox, Allura. You claim to want change when you refuse to let old wounds close. I've moved on, why haven't you?"

"I will never trust you," she hissed. "None of us will trust you!"

Lotor turned his attention towards Pidge, his eyes softening.

"Katie, please try and talk some sense into her. You know me; my intention was never to hurt anyone. All I ever wanted was to see Altea prosper. Think of what we had! You and I fought my father together, and you knew my plans. Were there some sacrifices I was willing to make to reach the end goal? Yes, but you have to believe me, I only wanted the best and now, I just want to protect all of you!"

Keith narrowed his eyes. "If you really wanted to help and protect us, you wouldn't have left for six years. You're only looking out for yourself because you know that if we agree, you'll have our team to protect you from being dragged through hell by the Galra. We have no reason to trust you, and you aren't proving to be very trustworthy. There have been no threats made against us—"

"Because Haggar is just waiting for the perfect moment to strike!" Lotor exploded, clenching his fists tightly. "She will hit you where your worst fear lies, and only then you'll realize that I really was trying to help you all along! You don't know the witch like I do. I spent my entire life surrounded by an addict who only spent her time in a laboratory trying to make drugs to heal, only to have her turn into a power obsessed freak who created the dependency the Galra have on quintessence now! She will strike you where it hurts," he promised, his brows twitching angrily.

Pidge frowned. "How can you be so sure? We're never even around her!"

"She'll find a way," Lotor assured her, meeting her gaze, "and when she does, you'll be so sorry you even tried to stop the plans the Galra had six years ago. She's out for revenge, and she will get it. I only came to warn you and strike up a possible alliance that could protect all of us," he said.

Lance pursed his lips. "You're full of baloney, Lotor. Didn't you promise to stay before, only to end up leaving? If you had stayed, we might have more reason to trust you, but you've been gone. We aren't going to trust someone who always breaks promises and doesn't stick around when times get rough."

"I agree with him," Keith said, holding Zoe in one arm while pointing a finger at Lotor. "You act like you want an alliance when you know fully well that you tried that with Acxa and everyone else, only to drag them through the dirt and into hiding with you for six years. You'll only make us potential targets rather than protecting us. You're full of such bullshit that only a crazy person would think that trusting you is a good idea!"

Lotor pursed his lips. "Acxa arrived here earlier than I did. Did she not tell you? She left New York three years ago with Ezor." Upon seeing Keith's look of utter confusion, he blinked, feigning a shocked expression. "Forgive me, I though you knew. She said that she would be coming back to visit you."

Krolia shot Keith a concerned look, watching Keith's angry face morph into a look of bewilderment mixed with sadness. He looked betrayed, and Krolia had a sudden urge to hug him. Instead, she walked over towards him, and ignoring everyone's pitiful looks, she placed a hand on her son's shoulder.

"Keith..."

"You sit on a throne of lies!" Keith said, glaring at Lotor while his voice cracked in the slightest bit. "She wouldn't just leave us hanging like that. What the hell are you trying to do, Lotor? Are you trying to manipulate us again into playing your sick fucking game?! No one is going to fall for it! I'll protect my family and friends, because that's what real men do. They protect and don't run away from situations," he hissed.

"I came to tell you the truth," Lotor said, rising form his position on the couch, "and if you don't want to trust me or even hear me out, then you should just kill me now or throw me into jail like you so desire to do."

"With pleasure," Allura snarled.

"Let me just say one thing. Katie," he said, turning to face the shorter female, "you know how the Galra are. You've seen it first hand with me. They're ruthless, and unless you have a Galra member on your side you're guaranteed to lose to any of the games or tricks they play on you. Be smart, or else you'll end up losing the thing you love the most," he said, quietly making his way towards the door and pulling it open.

He stopped in the doorframe, intensely meeting her gaze, purple meeting amber eyes.

"Think about it."

"Like hell she will," Keith spat out, Krolia holding him back and Zoe looking up at her father worriedly.

Lotor shifted his attention towards Keith, meeting his gaze before a small smirk passed over his features.

"Oh, she will."

With that being said, Lotor stepped out of the Holt residence, leaving everyone in an awkward silence. No one dared to move, and no one dared to speak. There was something ominous about Lotor's last words, and it was haunting Pidge down to her very core. It sounded almost as if he was going to make sure she sided with him, and it was making her fear for her life.

"No," she whispered, her eyes clenching shut. She let out a shaky breath, running two hands through her hair, shaking her head bitterly and slowly, refusing to meet everyone's gaze.

By now, the whole shock of Lotor's visit had worn off. Allura had stopped growling at the door, instead turning her attention towards Pidge, who looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown.

"Pidge?" Keith asked tentatively.

"He's back," she managed to whisper, still refusing to open her eyes. "He's fucking back."

Lance quickly walked over towards Keith and took Zoe from Keith's arms, motioning for Keith to go comfort his girlfriend. While he did love Pidge and would go to the ends of the earth for her, Lance knew better than to try to calm her down whenever it came down to Lotor. Only Keith could do that.

Keith immediately walked towards Pidge, turning her around by her shoulders, tilting her chin up and making sure she was looking into his eyes.

"Pidge."

"Tell me this is all a fucking nightmare, Keith," she said, cracking her eyes open and looking up at Keith. "Tell me that if I pinch myself, all of this will be over and I'll be in bed, holding Zoe and Lotor will still be off in who knows where, just please tell me this isn't real," she said, her voice cracking on the last word.

Keith emitted a sigh. "I can't lie to you, Pidge. This is real, and as fucked up as it seems, Lotor is back. Nothing is going to change that, no matter how many realities you go to."

"This isn't fair," she complained, frowning. "I was so at peace without him, and now he comes and messes everything up, and I just–"

"I know," Keith said, squeezing her shoulders. "I know. There's nothing we can do about it, though. Lotor is here, and he's sticking around for a long time, from what he said. I don't like it, hell, none of us like it! It doesn't mean we can change what's happening."

Lance frowned. "Keith is right. Lotor's here now, and we can't do anything about it except ignore him and hope that this whole thing passes over without any consequences."

"Lotor's presence in this house was the consequence of him coming back," Hunk said, crossing his arms across his chest. "I don't like this one bit, man. Why would he come back all of a sudden?"

"He said he was called back by Haggar," Pidge said, frowning. "I don't believe him. There's something off, and as much as I tried to forgive him for what he did six years ago, I can't. I don't trust him at all, and I don't know what to do. His words sounded like a threat, and you know how Lotor is with threats."

"How do we know he's lying though?" Shiro asked, arching a brow. "Don't kill me, but what if he's actually saying the truth?"

"There's no truth to Lotor's words except for pain and suffering," Keith said, narrowing his eyes. "You're my brother, Shiro, but I can't agree with you in this. Lotor has only been manipulative and has only changed when things are in his favor. Look at what he did last time."

"He saved you," Shiro said softly. "He saved you from potentially dying before you even got to graduate."

"Shiro, We can't trust him, no matter what he did!" Allura said, facing her husband with an angry expression. "He does it for self gain, and he's only going to bring hell into our lives again!"

"Pidge, we can't let him into our lives again," Keith said, eyeing his girlfriend somberly. "He's too dangerous, and we have too many things too lose now. We can't side with him."

Pidge frowned. "I know you're right, but what f he tries to do something else? What if he tries to tear us all apart again?"

Keith shook his head. "That won't happen now because you have us. We aren't going to let him break us again, and we aren't going to help him with whatever he wants until he comes up with a better excuse other than to seek shelter from the Galra. We'll be fine," he reassured her, pulling Pidge in for a hug.

Pidge wrapped her arms around his torso tightly, casting her gaze to the window.

"Are you sure we can handle him in our lives? He won't stop until he gets what he wants, you know."

Keith pursed his lips. "We have the Blade and everyone else for support, right Krolia?"

Krolia only nodded. "We can get a restraining order if he tries something more dangerous," she suggested.

Pidge frowned. "Let's hope it doesn't get to that level of extreme."

She let out a sigh. "I really hope we aren't making the wrong choice by not giving him what he wants."

Keith looked at Zoe out of the corner of his eyes, worry settling in his gut as he saw her flash him a smile.

"Me too," he said. "Me too."

* * *

Lotor watched out of the car window as Pidge and Keith started talking to everyone else, watching their expressions turn into looks of worry and fear.

Ezor yawned. "It's been a half hour, Lotor. Why are we still here? Do you like, need someone else to drive since you got knocked out by Allura?"

Zethrid snorted. "That was hilarious, by the way. No offense, Lotor," she said, eyeing their leader out of the corner of her eyes.

"None taken. I had it coming," Lotor said, rubbing his temple. "I didn't expect Katie to doubt me, though."

"It's been six years, Lotor," Ezor said, eyeing him skeptically. "You really think she'll trust you after six years of being gone and not knowing where you were?"

"I think that she'll come around."

Zethrid snorted. "That, or she'll get a restraining order. It's one or the other."

"Well, she has no reason to fear me...yet," Lotor said, pursing his lips. "I won't try to hurt them unless they give me a reason to. They do, however, have to be very stupid to ignore my warnings about the Galra stalking them. I fear that something terrible will happen if they don't take care of themselves," he said.

Ezor frowned. "Like what?"

Lotor shook his head. "I know not what the Galra have planned, but it must be something terrible if they are aware of the hatred the Galra have against them." He brightened up, turning towards the figure next to him in the passenger side of the car.

"Oh, by the way, you have a niece. She looks exactly like Keith," Lotor said, quirking a brow. "I thought you'd like to know."

Acxa frowned. "That's nice. They got busy."

"I thought you'd be more excited, Acxa. This is your family, after all."

Acxa glanced at Lotor before looking longingly through the window, watching Pidge take Zoe from Lance's arms and cradle her gently, rocking her back and forth to presumably put her to bed.

"I have more important things to focus on. We should leave," she said, motioning towards the drivers wheel. "We should go home."

Lotor frowned. "If that's what you want–"

"Drive," she demanded, focusing her attention in the road rather than the house where her mother and brother were.

Ezor and Narti exchanged a look before looking at Acxa carefully, Ezor slightly frowning.

Lotor sighed. "As you wish."

He started the car up and drove off, Acxa keeping her eyes glued on the road. She couldn't afford to think of her family. Not now.

Lotor's frown persisted, his brows creasing together as he thought of what had happened at the Holt residence. Nothing had changed, even the people who were there.

Something told him that something was inevitably going to change soon, and he only hoped that it wouldn't ruin Katie too much. Life was going to be absolute hell with her and her friends around now, he decided.

He needed a drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's summer break so hopefully I'll be able to upload more frequently lolol. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	3. All You Had To Do Was Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge’s friends are still skeptical over Lotor’s motives, and Keith has to face someone who he never thought he’d ever see again.

Any of Pidge's hopes for a normal life after being brought face to face with her old flame were sunk to the bottom of the ocean when she received ten messages in a row from an unknown number, urging her to accept his request for help. It was more annoying than it was creepy, and she was growing sick of it.

Wrinkling her nose, she tossed her phone to the side, a small frown taking over her features. Plaxum flashed her a small smile, putting down the wedding dress catalog that she had been looking through.

"Are you okay?"

Pidge shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Lotor again?" Plaxum asked, her small smile turning into a slight pout. Hearing Pidge's grunt of annoyance, she groaned, not bothering to hide her distaste for the man who was trying to jump back into Pidge's life as if he hadn't been gone for six years. 

Pidge snorted, a grin taking over her features. "Yeah, that was my reaction too."

"It's been a week since you denied to help him and he still keeps calling you. If that doesn't scream that he's just desperate to get you back and ruin your life, then I don't know what to tell you," Plaxum replied, folding her arms across her chest. 

Pidge arched a brow, Marisol and Shay only eyeing Plaxum wearily.

"What do you mean by that?"

Plaxum's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, you really don't suspect that he's trying to ruin your relationship again? Forgive me, Pidge, but you are the blindest person I've ever met."

Marisol grinned. "Plax, I think that we established that a long time ago back when she was still in denial that she had a thing for Keith, who is now her boyfriend," she said teasingly, watching in amusement as Pidge pouted childishly.

"That was six years ago! I was a kid!"

"You're still one to me," Marisol said cheekily, laughing when Pidge rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

"Back to the main point," Plaxum said, cutting between Marisol and Pidge's conversation, "do you really think Lotor is just back for help?" Plaxum asked incredulously, eyeing Pidge with wide eyes. 

"Well, I think that the help he's asking for is just for self gain," Pidge replied, suddenly uncomfortable. "Don't you think so?"

Shay frowned. "I don't want to sound rude, but I do think Plax has a point. During high school when you were dating Lotor, it always looked like he wanted to keep you by his side forever. One time, I heard him say to Ezor that he would do anything to make you stay by his side, which he did do when he blackmailed you into staying quiet."

Marisol pursed her lips. "But he didn't say anything when he saw that she and Keith had a kid," she said softly, utterly baffled. "Don't you think that she would've realized if his intentions were to ruin her relationship with Keith as soon as she saw Lotor? Pidge is sometimes blind, but not when it comes to things like that."

Pidge nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Plax. Don't you think that you're taking this a little too seriously? Besides," she said, picking the bridal catalog off the coffee table, "I wouldn't make the mistake of falling for him again. I have my own family now, and I love them too much to even consider hurting either Zoe or Keith by messing with Lotor in that way again. They're my home, not Lotor. Lotor can go fuck himself. I gave him so many chances to redeem himself, but what does he do?" She asked, annoyance heavy in her tone.

"Run away for six years and only come back when it's convenient for him?" Marisol asked.

"Exactly!"

Shay smiled. "No one is doubting that you would stay far away from Lotor if he were to try anything, but we're just telling you to be cautious. You've played his game before, and you know how hard it is to get out of it."

"Trust me," Pidge said, grinning, "I would never fall for his tricks ever again. I'm too old and tired to be involved in anything like that again."

"Too old she says," Plaxum said, scoffing. "You're sitting right across from Marisol, and you still call yourself old. You know, just because you have a child doesn't mean that you're automatically old."

"She will be if Zoe is anything like her or Keith," Marisol said, raising an unimpressed brow. "I see grey hairs in your future."

"I really should put a gate at the top of the stairs so she doesn't fall down," Pidge said in sudden realization, remembering the sliding incident the night that Lotor had risen from the dead. "Do you know how hard it is to take care of her? She literally slid down the stairs on the lid of her toy box!"

"Which is inspirational," Matt said, waking out of the McClain residence with a cookie in his hand. Quickly pressing a kiss to Marisol's cheek, he quirked a brow, turning his attention back to his sister. 

"You did the same thing when you were four. Mom still has pictures of dad trying to calm you down after you feel off halfway through the ride down the stairs," he said, grinning in amusement. Taking a bite of his cookie, he sighed contently.

"Those were the days," he said through a mouth full of cookies. Finishing his snack, he leaned over Marisol's shoulders, a smile plastered on his face. 

"So what were you guys talking about?"

"Lotor," came the unanimous reply. 

Matt shuddered. "That guy? No offense, but he should've stayed dead in New York instead of trying to come back and get you to date him again," he said, eyeing his sister.

"Okay, what's up with everyone assuming that Lotor's trying to woo me?!" Pidge asked exasperatedly, eyeing her brother in annoyance. "He's just here for self gain, that's it!"

"He's just here for self gain," Matt mimicked in a mocking tone, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, and I'm a Blade of McDonald's member. Do you know how stupid you sound when you say that?"

"Isn't it the Blade of Marmora?"

"No Plax, it's not. Anyways, Pidge," he said, huffing in annoyance, "I love you, but you can't be so blind and unwilling to accept the truth. Lotor's had eyes for you since day one, and it'd be stupid for him to just suddenly give up like that."

"Lotor is not trying to woo me," Pidge said exasperatedly. "Give me one reason why that would be beneficial for him. Just one."

Matt whistled. "Sister, I have way more than one reason. One; Lotor is a bitch. Two; Lotor is a bitch. Three–"

"Lotor's a bitch?" Pidge interrupted, looking at her brother in annoyance. 

"No," Matt shot back snootily, "he's Galra."

"Oh please," Pidge scoffed, "If Lotor so as much tries to break up my relationship with Keith then you guys can tell me you were right but until then, everything is fine. I have Keith and Zoe, and that's all that I'm focusing on."

Plaxum snorted. "Yeah," she said with a teasing edge in her tone, "your boyfriend who should be your fiancé by now."

Pidge groaned, slapping her hands over her eyes wearily while her friends and brother laughed.

"This again? I told you–"

"Yeah, yeah, you're taking it slow or whatever," Matt said, waving her off. "Look, you always said that you would be more likely to be married before Lance could even land a girlfriend, and look at him now! He's happily engaged with Plax and arranging a wedding while you're still living with mom and aren't engaged."

Pidge shrugged, tugging on a strand of her hair. "You can talk to Keith about that, not me. I'm not the one that has to get on one knee and ask someone's parents if he has permission to marry me."

Marisol scoffed. "Screw tradition. If you really want to marry Keith then you'll have to be the one to get down on one knee and ask him to marry you."

Shay grinned. "I agree. You've been dating for six years, and while we admire the fact that you two haven't killed each other yet, it's getting rather concerning that you aren't at the very least engaged or live together."

"Maybe I like not being engaged," Pidge suggested crossly, a childish pout taking over her features. "It's so much commitment."

Plaxum wrinkled her nose. "All you have to do is wear a ring on your finger and plan a wedding. Being engaged is great because it gets all the boys off your back."

"Not Lotor's though," Matt sang aloud, grinning when Pidge swatted an arm at him.

"That's not funny."

"It was a little funny," he argued playfully, a teasing smirk pulling at his lips. 

"Yeah," Marisol continued, "almost as funny as having a kid and not being engaged."

"For fuck's sake," Pidge said exasperatedly. "For the last time, we're working on it! It's not easy living with a kid, you know. She's exactly like Keith and I–"

"I see why that could be a problem since you two are both shitheads and have been since you were eight," Matt said thoughtfully.

"Matt, please shut up," Pidge whined. Taking a deep breath, she continued. 

"As I was saying, Zoe is a handful and I don't trust leaving her with mom or dad or just anyone other than us in general because of how she is. She's too...jumpy and wild! Keith and I haven't been out of the house on a date for a while, and as much as I love Zoe, I really don't like having to sleep on the couch because both her dad and her hog the bed."

"That's something you should've thought of before you screwed Keith," Matt replied.

"We worked too hard for you to throw it all down the drain, Matt," Marisol whispered harshly. "Let the woman vent."

Pidge sighed. "I love my family, and of course I want to marry Keith, but do you see the position we're in? We're still living with my parents. We're so doomed," she moaned, slumping down in her chair.

Marisol frowned. "Look, I know from first hand experience how it is to deal with kids. I raised Mateo, for crying out loud! Everything you feel about Zoe is natural, and even though you get overwhelmed, you're still a good mom. Otherwise Keith would've most likely brought Zoe over to live with Krolia," she joked.

"You know," Pidge started, suddenly thoughtful, "Now that you mention him,  I feel like Keith might be started to make a move. He did start looking for houses in the neighborhood for sale and keeps mentioning our future a lot."

"If this is anything like you confessing your feelings for Keith and vice versa during senior year then I'm just going to go right ahead and shoot myself in the head," Matt joked. His expression grew somber once he drew out a few chuckles from the females.

"But seriously, if you're going to make a move then could you maybe not make it take five years?"

"More like six," Lance snorted, popping out of the house with Keith and Hunk behind him, Zoe naturally in her dad's arms.

"Remember when you said that they'd be eighty and still pining," Matt asked, a huge grin on his face. "Ah, those were the golden days, man."

"That was six years ago," Keith said, arching a brow. "And did you guys really have that little faith in us? Wow, I'm hurt."

Pidge snorted. "Oh come on, even you realized how stupid we were being when we were kids. You said so yourself when we walked back home after taking a dip in the lake."

"But was it skinny dipping?" Marisol asked, Matt high fiving her.

"Ew no!" Lance practically screeched. "We were all fully clothed, thank you very much! Besides," he grumbled, "you would've known since you looked through may camera roll for any evidence that Keith and Pidge did the dirty in a lake."

Keith shook his head. "Nope, I am out of here. Zoe here is asking for her nap and I personally don't want to know of what you guys were thinking when we went to the lake," Keith said, eyeing Matt critically.

Matt laughed. "Oh Keith, what happened to you? You were the one who yelled that you were as straight as a ninety degree angle at graduation, man! You are a legend at Altea High, and I should know because I work there."

"I was eighteen back then," Keith said, a small smile tugging at the edges of his lips. "I have a kid now, and I want to set a good example."

"Yeah, that's why you jumped off the roof and into the pool drunk during the fourth of July," Pidge said dryly.

"You still won't let me live that down?"

"No, because you jumped off the roof and into the pool while you were drunk," she repeated, her tone remaining just as dry as before.

"I was young!" Keith protested. "I made some mistakes!"

"That was four months ago."

"Keith, it's no use arguing with her," Plaxum called out, grinning. "Women always win the fights and petty arguments."

"Yeah, unless your boyfriend is Lotor," Marisol said, her grin melting into a frown. "Hey Pidge, you should block his number so he doesn't keep blowing up your phone."

"That was Lotor spamming you all week?!" Keith all but screeched, his eyes wide. "You're telling me that I lived with sleep deprivation this entire week because of some low life son of b–"

"Language," Pidge said tiredly, "and yes, it was because of him. The thing is, if I block him he's going to try to convince someone else to talk to me, like Ezor or Acxa."

"Speaking of Acxa," Lance said smoothly, looking at Keith, "did you talk things out with her yet?"

Keith wrinkled his nose. "No. I don't even know where she is, but Lotor probably does. Why the question?"

Lance shrugged. "Don't you think that it'd be nice for Zoe to meet her aunt?"

"The one who came back years ago and didn't bother to show up and say hi?" Keith scoffed. "Please. I don't want my kid around someone so irresponsible."

"Didn't you two take care of a flour baby?" Hunk asked, quirking a brow. "And didn't you break it?"

Keith bit his bottom lip. "Y-your point?"

Pidge snorted. "Okay, that's enough of that. You, me, and Zoe are all going home and taking a nap."

"I love you so much," Keith said, visibly relaxing his shoulders. "Like I can't describe it, but thank you."

"This is the epitome of romance," Pidge said smugly, grinning at Matt as she wrapped an arm around Keith's torso. "You could learn a thing or two."

"And you could get engaged, but that's something we both know is going to take an eternity," Matt shot back, a mischievous grin etched onto his features.

Keith rolled his eyes. "Wow. Really mature, Matt," he said sarcastically.

"Wouldn't it be brother in law?" Matt said aloud, putting a finger up to his chin. "Oh wait, I'm not because you haven't–!"

"I will personally turn you into a shish kabob if you finish that sentence," Keith whispered harshly, glaring at Matt.

Matt blinked. "Woah man, chill! It's just a joke."

Everyone else shook their heads in disagreement.

Keith sighed. "Anyways, it was nice talking to you guys, but we have to get home before lunch. We'll see you later," Keith said, smiling.

"Say bye bye to all your aunts and uncles," Pidge cooed at Zoe, the young girl only waving wildly and smiling at the group that was still sitting on the couches. 

"Bye!"

"She's so cute," Matt crooned. "Now if only her parents could–"

"Shish kabob," Keith said in a warning tone,  eyeing Matt seriously.

"Come on, Keith," Pidge said tiredly, "you need sleep before you pass out."

With that, Pidge and Keith walked out of Plaxum and Lance's house, heading towards their street. They walked slowly, Pidge still attached to Keith's hip while Zoe was still in his arms, eyes wide and filled with burning curiosity as she looked at her passing surroundings, swatting up at the sky and giggling.

Pidge chuckled. "You know, when she's like this I don't have to worry about her hurting herself on accident."

Keith smiled. "Yeah," he chuckled, "she can be a handful."

"She definitely got that from you," Pidge teased, brightening up when Keith only laughed.

"That's ridiculous, Pidge. You're the one who needs high maintenance on the daily."

Pidge shrugged. "I'm a simple girl. All I really want is a date that isn't too mushy and to stargaze. That's it. I'm not high maintenance, Keith. That would be Lance."

"My condolences for Plaxum," Keith said, shaking his head in mock woe. "She has to deal with face masks on the daily for the rest of her life."

Pidge laughed. "You're acting like Plaxum wouldn't enjoy that. Believe me, she's going to love life with Lance."

"I think Shiro wears face masks," Keith said thoughtfully, shrugging. "I think Allura makes him since she claims that he's getting old even though they're both not even thirty."

"Imagine when we're thirty," Pidge said, shuddering. "Zoe's going to be what, six?"

"What do you think we'll be doing when we're thirty?" Keith asked, chuckling when Zoe pointed excitedly to a cloud in the sky.

Pidge hummed. "Well, I kind of want to continue either making code or something, or maybe become a doctor or something. I really don't know, but you? I can imagine you being a teacher or something, hell maybe even a pilot for crying out loud!"

Keith wrinkled his nose. "Why would I be a pilot?"

"You passed the Garrison University test when you applied for there. That place is especially made to train pilots, and you flew a freaking simulation and passed level five when nobody could at the age of fifteen. _Fifteen_ ," she emphasized, letting go of Keith and standing up straight. 

Keith grinned. "That was one of my proudest moments," he said proudly. "I think Shiro almost exploded with happiness when I got an acceptance letter from both Garrison and Altea Uni during senior year. He was more excited than me while I was–"

"A crying mess because you thought you didn't get in?" Pidge asked, quirking a brow. She only chuckled when Keith pouted.

"That is not funny."

"It's a little funny," she teased, her smile growing when Keith started chuckling.

"Okay, yeah. Maybe it is a little funny."

"Blue!" Zoe shouted excitedly as she pointed towards the Holt residence, temporarily distracting Keith and Pidge from their teasing.

"Blue?" The two asked in confusion, eyeing each other before quickening their pace towards the house, Zoe clapping her hands together rapidly.

Upon reaching the house, Keith froze in the driveway, unable to say anything while Zoe only giggled and Pidge eyed the person standing on the front porch with a deep and unforgiving glare.

"Blue!" Zoe said, tapping Keith's face with her hand. "Blue!"

"Acxa?" Keith whispered, disbelief evident in his tone.

* * *

Acxa fidgeted in her seat, tugging on the cuff of her dark blue leather jacket. She looked around the Holt residence living room, noting the various frames that now had Krolia and everyone else in them, including Keith and Pidge's child, who was laughing in every one of them.

She felt her heart clench. She should've visited earlier.

Keith cleared his throat from his position in the kitchen doorframe, standing directly across from Acxa. His gaze was looking anywhere other than her, purple eyes refusing to meet dark blue. God, how he wished that Pidge had stayed with him instead of going back to Plaxum's place. 

Acxa cleared her throat as well, looking down at her hands as she clasped them together on her lap. 

"So."

"So," Keith repeated, still looking away from her. "Why are you here?"

Acxa blinked. "Well," she said slowly and hesitantly, "I wanted to come visit. Can't I just come visit my brother and mother?"

"You tell me," Keith said roughly, finally meeting her gaze. "You've been here for three years and you never once tried to get in contact with us even though you knew we were here."

"Keith–"

"We were here, and you didn't tell anyone except Lotor that you were coming back," Keith continued, simultaneously interrupting her. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe you should've at least told us you were back?"

"I tried–"

"Bullshit," he snapped. "I never got any messages from you. Hell, I tried to contact you what, a month ago? You never answered," he said in an accusing tone. 

"Would you let me speak?" She asked, eyeing Keith with a small glare. "I wanted to talk to you, but I was just going to put you all at risk. The only reason I came back was to work with Honerva while working as a spy for Lotor."

"Put us at risk for what?" Keith asked harshly, "There's nothing wrong with our lives! We're all alive and there's nothing that could put us in any danger. This all just seems as an excuse that you're making up to make up for the fact that you couldn't care less about family."

Acxa pursed her lips. "That is not true," she argued. "It's because I care about you that I didn't tell you anything, you idiot!"

"Then why come see me now?" Keith asked, still angry. "If it's so dangerous for you to come visit me, then why the hell do you show up unannounced on my front porch? You're just making up excuses for being a shitty person that could care less about anyone other than yourself!"

"I came to visit you because I have to warn you about something, Keith!" Acxa snapped, her voice rising. "Stop acting like a teenager and listen to me, or so help me I will strap you to a chair and make you listen to me!"

"Why should I listen to you?" Keith said snootily. "All you do is lie."

"You're going to listen to me because if you don't, the death of everyone who isn't Glara is going to be on your hands!"

Keith froze, his eyes slightly widening. "What?"

Acxa grunted in frustration. "Oh, so now you listen to me."

"Just tell me what you mean!"

"Fine!" Acxa took a deep breath, training her eyes on Keith. "Honerva has created some kind of drug that's turning the Galra into these powerful people that are very aggressive, and she's planning to use it to conquer anyone who isn't Galra. She started testing it while trying to find a cure for Zarkon to basically revive him from the dead after you shot him."

"That's crazy and unbelievable," Keith said, scoffing. "Try to come up with something better than what Lotor tells you to say."

"I'm serious," she said, frowning. "What Lotor said wasn't a lie. Honerva and Zarkon have been planning to take over Alfor's company since forever, and then they'll use their connections to make sure that anyone who isn't Galra pays the price for the delayed victory that you took away from them six years ago."

"I don't understand," Keith said, shaking his head. "If they're planning to target everyone who stopped him from almost killing Altea's figureheads, why are you telling me that I'm in danger? These people are practically planning genocide and you've kept it a secret for what, three years?!"

"Honerva is planning everything while Zarkon slowly recuperates," Acxa said. "Once he regains full mobility and is able to walk out of his house, he is going to order the rest of the Galra to come and take care of you, if you know what I mean, before taking over the north."

Keith felt a sick, twisted feeling in his gut, his lips pressed together in a firm line.

"But I'm Galra," he said softly, eyeing Acxa. "I might only be half Galra, but I'm Galra!"

Acxa shook her head. "That's not how this works. You stole Zarkon's victory, and Honerva has been plotting revenge on you for six years for almost killing Zarkon. Why do you think the quintessence surged in supply when Lotor came back?"

"I don't know."

"It surged because she's making sure that the Galra are all ready for when the time to attack comes. She called Lotor back because she needs a figurehead to plan her attack, and believe me,  you're going to want to help Lotor."

"I'd rather die," Keith spat. "Lotor–"

"Lotor is delaying the attack as much as he can until you all agree to help him," Acxa stated, glaring at Kieth. "He's the only reason you're still alive, and the only reason why everything hasn't gone to hell yet."

"He's allowing the quintessence use to surge and I'm what, suppose to thank him for keeping me alive? Those three years in New York did some shit to your head, Acxa."

"You have to trust me," Acxa said firmly, her eyes never breaking contact with Keith's. "Once Zarkon realizes that Lotor has been taking over the small Galra faction it'll be too late."

"Why the hell haven't you contacted the cops or the Blade of Marmora?" Keith asked incredulously. "We're talking about hundreds of deaths, and you're telling me that what, we just have to trust Lotor? News flash, he's still waned by the cops and the Galra!"

"The Galra trust him now that he's allowing them to use as much quintessence as they need."

"So they love him because he's turning them into crackheads. That must be nice," Keith said sarcastically. 

"Look, the Blade of Marmora already knows what's happening. I contacted them once I was here, and Krolia set me up with the undercover job with Honerva."

"Wait, Krolia knew you were back?" Keith asked, visibly stunned.

"Of course she did. And why do you think she's been so adamant about you staying close to home?" Acxa asked. "She's trying to keep you under her watchful eye so you don't get hurt. Everyone knows that you have a family now, especially the Galra. Remember the beating you got after Lotor sent out people to attack you?"

"How could I forget? It's Lotor, for crying out loud!" Keith all but shouted.

"What's coming is a hundred times worse than that. The Galra blame you for taking Zarkon down, and they are out for blood. This is serious, Keith, and by you not helping Lotor, you're putting your entire family and friends in a risky position."

"I don't understand how us helping Lotor would fix anything," Keith said, furrowing his brows. "Why would giving the Galra what they want stop them from hurting us? They'll be more powerful than us!"

"As Lotor said before, it would be a form of appeasement before he took a hold of the Southern part, and he can't do that unless he has the norther part of Altea's help."

"There's a reason the land that was originally just one large Altea was spilt up into the north and south," Keith said, pursing his lips. "Joining the two places together would just make a huge mess, one that Lotor and Allura would have to deal with."

"Joining the two parts of Altea would ensure that both sides coexist in peace, and that's all that Lotor wants. Why have wars between two cities when you can unify them and prevent a civil war breaking out? This is for the greater good, and with your help, Lotor could achieve that!" Acxa pressed on, slightly raising her voice.

Keith stood there in silence, looking into his sister's eyes. He didn't dare speak a word, but he didn't have to for Acxa to know that he was contemplating helping Lotor. His expression betrayed his words.

"I-I need Pidge here. She–"

"What you need is to make a decision on whether or not you're going to protect your family and friends or if you're just going to sit back and watch them all die because you couldn't make one damn decision on your own. This is your family we're talking about," she said softly. "You fought hard for it to be a reality, and for what? To let it go into flames because you can't decide on whether or not you should protect your family?"

"That's not what I meant," he said tiredly. "Pidge is the one who Lotor has been seeking out, not me, and I know why. She's the only one who he really trusts, but I can't force her to agree. If it were up to me I would definitely say yes, because I want to protect my family, but I can't agree for everyone. We...I'd have to get Shiro to talk to all of them."

"And why not you?"

"Because I'm not the leader of this group!" Keith shouted, throwing his arms up in the air. "Shiro is the oldest out of all of us, and he's training to be a police officer for crying out loud! He's the more mature one, and if anyone knows how to handle situations like this, it's him. He's always been our leader, even for the stupid shit, and he's always led us to victory. I'm...not him. I'm not the figurehead of our group, but he is."

Acxa frowned. "We need to get everyone together as soon as possible. The longer we stall, the longer Honerva will get suspicious, and we can't have that. She'll start pressing on for an attack on you and everyone you love, and then...well, you know what happens."

Keith grunted in frustration. "You're telling me that as if I didn't know that already. I'll call Shiro in a bit, but this time, we're getting our parents involved."

"You're a grown man," Acxa said in disbelief. "Why would you–"

"Because unlike you, I care about telling people who care about me how my life is going and if I'm in danger,' Keith snapped, glaring at her.

Acxa promptly shut her mouth, pressing her lips together in a thin line. "Alright."

"I'll try to get everyone, and I mean everyone, to come here tonight if possible. I'm not letting another day pass with my family in danger, or anyone for that matter," Keith said coldly, crossing his arms across his chest. 

"Then I'll tell Lotor to keep his schedule clear for tonight," Acxa said in a low voice, slowly getting up from the couch.

"Acxa."

She stopped in her tracks, looking at Keith with confusion plastered on her face. "Yes?"

He frowned. "I can't forgive you for disappearing without a warning."

"I wasn't expecting you to," she replied, looking him in his eyes. "But you'll understand soon enough."

"Don't be so sure about that."

Keith broke eye contact with Acxa as he felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of this jacket, sticking his hand in it and fishing it out. Quickly checking the caller ID, he answered the call, pressing his phone to his ear.

"Pidge?"

" _Keep Acxa there. We're all heading over now._ "

"Wait, what?"

" _Keith you're really not helping right now_ ," she said, her voice cracking. " _Something really bad just happened, and we really need to consider helping Lotor now_."

"Are you okay? Your voice...you're worrying me. What happened?" Keith urged, his body tensing up.

" _Keith, someone just tried to purposefully make Shiro crash right as he was turning the corner towards Lance's place. Allura saw his face, and he's Galra. Lotor was right. They are coming after us._ "

Suddenly, Keith felt his word come to a stop. He quickly dropped his phone on the ground, Pidge's voice calling out for him. He felt his heart stop beating, and before he knew it, he had collapsed on the ground. The last thing he heard was Pidge's voice calling out his name and Acxa frantically scrambling to his side, rapidly holding onto him.

"Keith? Keith!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly I haven't updated for a while lol. I'm sorry, but I've been busy with real life stuff, but I promise I'll try to update this fic as frequently as I can. SDCC motivated me to fish this chapter and can I just say that I have been crying for a day over Shiro? I just love this so much and I'm so happy that we have canon lgbt rep in Voltron now. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Say You Won't Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lotor and Keith have unresolved problems that can only be solved in one way, and Pidge makes a final decision that seals her fate.

When Keith began to regain consciousness, he was met by voices yelling over him.

"What did you do to him?!" Pidge barked, clenching her fists at her sides.

"I didn't do anything! He just collapsed out of nowhere!" Acxa replied frustratedly, frowning.

"You're supposed to take care of him, idiot!"

"I'm not his babysitter, I'm his sister. _You_ are his girlfriend," Acxa replied pointedly.

"Don't play with me Acxa! You were here!"

"He's fine, even your mom said so, and she's a nurse!"

"Oh and that's supposed to make me feel better?"

Keith let out a small huff as his eyes fluttered open slowly, focusing on his surroundings.

He quickly realized that he was strewn across the sofa, a few pillows under his head. Pidge and Acxa were in the middle of the room arguing while Lotor stood next to the door with Ezor, Zethrid, and Narti, who looked extremely uncomfortable.

Colleen was holding Zoe, Sam standing next to her and glaring at Lotor from his position in the dining room entrance. Lance and Allura were standing behind Pidge protectively, staring Acxa down.

Hunk was standing next to Shiro, the two conveniently standing next to either side of Keith. Keith vaguely felt someone card their fingers through his hair, and slowly he realized that Krolia had been looking down at him, concern laced in her features.

She broke out into a small smile as she met his eyes, her hard concerned demeanor breaking into fondness, a look that she only got around Keith and occasionally Zoe.

"How are you holding up, Keith?" She asked quietly, still carding her fingers through his hair.

"Mph."

She smiled and shook her head. "Sentences, Keith."

Keith licked his lips. "I'm–"

"This is all your freaking fault!"

"I get that you're mad at me, but I did nothing wrong," Acxa said indignantly, glaring down at Pidge. "Seems like much hasn't changed since high school," she said in a biting tone.

Lotor cleared his throat, taking a tentative step forward. "Katie, Acxa, I really hate to interrupt, but–"

"Shut up!" Both women yelled as they whipped around to face him, sending him scornful glares. 

Lotor shook his head again. "He's awake," he said bluntly, lifting a finger and pointing at Keith.

Both Acxa and Pidge stopped glaring at him, instead choosing to turn around and face Keith, who was now sitting upright on the sofa.

Acxa let out a relieved sigh, shooting Lotor a grateful look. He only nodded in return.

Pidge immediately let out a bright smile and ran towards Keith, pulling him into a tight embrace, one which he gladly returned.

"Oh thank god you're okay," she breathed in relief.

Keith snorted. "It takes more than a heart attack to kill me."

Pidge's eyes immediately snapped open and she pulled back quickly.

"You had a heart attack? Mom!"

Keith let out a sigh. "It's a figure of speech, Pidge."

He lifted his feet off the couch and placed them on the ground, staring at the scared and worried faces around him.

"How much did I miss?"

"Nothing," Lotor replied, still glancing between him and Pidge. "They've been arguing over the same thing for an hour."

"Yeah, anybody could've told him that, thanks," Lance said sarcastically, glaring at Lotor.

Lotor raised a brow. "I see that blast didn't kill your terrible people skills, huh."

"You little–!"

"There are children here!" Colleen said loudly, glaring at Lance.

Lance send her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Holt."

"Colleen, Lance. Colleen. You're old enough to refer to me by my first name."

"Well actually–"

"I would absolutely love to continue this conversation, but uh, we still need to address why we're here," Hunk intervened, shooting Lance a look.

Lance frowned angrily. "You mean Shiro almost dying in a car crash caused by the Galra?" He asked, glaring directly at Lotor.

"It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. Lotor wouldn't take no for an answer, and like always, he went out and about to hurt the people who Pidge loves the most so she would give in, and like always, it worked because we're here!!"

"I feel like I'm back in highschool," Hunk muttered, shaking his head.

Matt frowned. "You know, what Lance is saying makes sense. Remember when Keith got beat up after he asked Pidge out to prom before Lotor?"

"Exactly!" Lance screeched, causing everyone to wince. "How can we trust a Galra whose has been out to get our skin ever since we graduated? I think the answer is clear," he said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"And what is that answer, Lance?" Lotor asked through clenched teeth, a vein in his temple jumping.

"Throwing you in jail before you bring the rest of your people to kill us, obviously. You're a threat to us, just like you always were."

"I didn't send anyone out to hurt you!" He said angrily, losing his composure. "I've been out of town the entire day, focusing on trying to delay Haggar's plans. You, however, are making it extremely more difficult than it should be!"

"Lance is right in not trusting you," Allura said, shooting Lotor an icy glare. "It doesn't matter if you tried to redeem yourself years ago. You're still Galra, and untrustworthy."

"Oh, and so is Keith, but you trust him."

Silence filled the room. Keith stiffened, feeling Krolia's grip on his shoulder tighten.

"T...that..."

"And so is the Blade of Marmora, but you trust them."

"Lotor, stop," Pidge hissed lowly. "They're nothing like you."

"And so is Krolia, but you trust her. How am I any different than them?! I am a person too, with real feelings and a desire to make things right. If I truly didn't care about you and wanted to see you dead, I would've killed you all myself already!"

"Oh, so what are we supposed to say? Thank you for doing the bare minimum?" Lance asked sarcastically, recovering from his initial shock. "Thank you for not killing us? We shouldn't have to thank you for that; it should just be a part of your morals!"

"The point is that I haven't done anything to harm you, and I have no desire to do so either!" Lotor huffed frustratedly, clenching his fists at his sides. "My time away from all of you helped me heal, and I want to do is help you."

Allura wrinkled her nose, her scowl deepening. "As if five years away could heal your desire for bloodshed! You are a monster, Lotor. A monster that shouldn't be trusted!"

Lotor clicked his tongue, chuckling bitterly as he locked eyes with Allura. "And after all this time, you're still the same ignorant Allura that you were when we were children. Careful," he warned, glancing at the two children trembling behind her calves, "don't want to set a bad example for your children. Although, I suspect you already have given them a bad example without me being here."

Allura's eyes widened indignantly. "You son of a quiznacking dog!"

Colleen pressed her lips into a thing line, turning around to face Allura and Shiro's two children, who looked like they were deathly afraid and couldn't understand what was going on.

"Come on, children. We're going outside."

"You see? You're the one setting a bad example for your own children," Lotor spat, crossing his arms across his chest tightly as Colleen led the three children out of the house. "I did nothing."

"Oh stop playing the innocent card, Lotor!" Allura hissed, clenching her fists at her sides tightly. "Lance is right. We shouldn't have to thank you for letting us live!"

"Don't you get it?" He snapped. "I don't care what you say, but whether you agree or you don't, you are all in the same boat as me. We're all targets of the Galra. They want us dead, Allura! There is no more time for you to make a decision. If you don't agree now, everyone will suffer the consequences of your arrogance!"

The room fell into a stunned silence once again, Allura and Lotor staring each other down.

"Why can't we just get the authorities to help?" Matt tentatively asked, his face hardening. "Everything can be avoided if–"

"That wouldn't work," Acxa said, glaring at him. "The authorities are all aware of what's brewing, and they can't stop it. They're just waiting for the fall of Altea."

"So we're basically fucked. Got it," Matt said, looking away from Acxa to look at Shiro. "Is that true?"

Shiro sighed. "I looked through the files at the police station on the Galra a few days ago. Most of them talk about how the violence has grown and spread farther than the southern part of Altea in the past years, especially after Lotor left."

"Everything just went to shit when he left, then," Lance mused aloud. "Unsurprisingly, it's going to shit now that he's back. I think you're a bad luck charm."

"Oh, you don't need me here to attract bad luck. They have you," Lotor said, training his eyes on Lance.

"Hey!"

"Okay enough of this!" Pidge yelled, silencing everyone in the room. "This was my call to answer, since I was the one who got us into this mess six years ago. Allura, I know you hate him, but your husband almost died in a crash caused because of some revengeful Galra who tried to attack us."

"Probably because Lotor sent him," Allura hissed.

"Well do you have any proof for that?" Ezor asked sassily, putting a hand to her hip. "We were all with him in the town next door, and Lotor doesn't interact with any Galra that aren't his mom, who he's trying to sabotage so that you privileged Alteans can live."

Keith frowned. "She's right. We don't have proof that Lotor did it, but we also have no proof that he didn't do it."

Lance scoffed. "Doesn't take a detective to put the pieces together."

"I told you to zip it!" Pidge snapped, sending Lance a glare. "There's no time for arguing. We wasted a week ignoring Lotor's warnings, and now we're seeing the consequences. Lotor or not, we have to help him if we want to live. We have to stop the Galra so we can actually have a future."

"Are you actually agreeing to this?!" Allura asked in horror, her brows furrowing deeply. "I can't believe that you're making us work with someone who wanted to kill us!"

"Well it's either that or be killed, and I don't know about you, but I want to live to see my kid grow up!" Pidge snapped. "Don't you want to see Emi and Alex grow up? Huh? What about you, Shiro?"

Shiro looked between Pidge and Allura, his face somber. "I really want to see them grow up, Allura. But I also don't want to work with Lotor, Pidge."

"Then you'll be stuck fighting to keep your kids alive for years," Pidge said boldly, digging her fingers tightly into Keith's arm.

"What about you, Keith?" She asked, turning to face her boyfriend. "You want to see Zoe grow up safe and sound, right?"

Keith blinked. "I...I do, but–"

"The only way we can protect our children and future is by working with Lotor, and you know it," she said, her eyes boring into his own.

"I..."

"This is madness!" Allura spat. "I wouldn't work with Lotor even if my life depended on it!"

"It technically does depend on it, though," Zethrid said bluntly. "Look, I know you don't want to work with Lotor, but your life literally depends on it."

"You don't have to to keep working with me after we get this whole dilemma sorted out," Lotor said, staring intently at Allura. "We just need to partner up to save Altea, your home, and your friends and family. Allura, this is a miracle; a chance for peace!"

Allura scoffed. "What are you talking about, you insufferable piece of garbage?"

"If I manage to take control of the Galra, that would mean that I could enforce laws that would help keep the Galra out of Altea. Allura, with a partnership, we could lead the Galra and Altea into a time of peace and prosperity where the two can coexist without threatening the life of the other. Don't you get it?" He asked, voice soft. "We could be the leaders our parents failed to be."

Lance gasped. "How dare you compare Zarkon and Alfor? Those two are nothing alike!"

Lotor ignored Lance, instead focusing his attention on the female in front of him. "Allura, there is no more time for picking sides. It's like Pidge said; the danger towards all of us is only going to become worse as the days pass. You need to agree to this, not just for my benefit, but for yours as well."

Allura broke her gaze away from Lotor towards the wall to her left, her eyes catching on the picture of her entire friend group together at the beach when they were younger.

It was taken the summer after Pidge and Keith had graduated, with the two laughing and hiding behind two seperate sandcastles. Lance and Hunk were there in the background, aiming water guns and Keith and Pidge respectively. Shiro was laying on his back, sleeping under a nearby umbrella while Allura, in all her six month pregnant glory, was aiming a water gun at Lance from her spot next to Shiro.

"Allura, you have to choose. With or without you, we're going to help Lotor in any way we can to stop this nightmare once and for all," Pidge said, training her eyes on the older woman.

Keith looked away from Pidge, instead focusing Krolia's hand that was still on his shoulder. Needless to say, he did not agree with what his girlfriend proposing. Going back to help the guy that had used her? How stupid.

He felt a twinge if something foreign invade his chest, a feeling that he had long neglected to feel. Fear. What if she decided to leave him? What is she decided to pack up her bags and go with Lotor, leaving him alone with Zoe? What if she fell for him instead?

He was pulled back into orbit once Allura finally moved towards Lotor, sticking her hand out stiffly in front of her.

"I'm only agreeing to this because I care about my family and friends' wellbeing. Don't get any ideas, or I will find a way to eliminate you once and for all, and believe me when I say that not even the best detectives in the world will be able to find your remains," she threatened, clenching her other fist at her side.

Lotor furrowed his brows and nodded, sticking his own hand out. He gruffly shook her hand, the two tightening their grip on each other's hands.

"It's a deal."

Keith blinked, watching as everyone in the room had various different reactions. Lance scowled and stormed into the kitchen, Hunk following close behind in an attempt to calm his best friend down. Shiro stood tensely behind Allura, gripping onto her shoulder tightly while Matt did the same thing to him, knowing that Shiro wanted to punch Lotor with every ounce of his soul.

_Did that really just happen?_

"Wait," Keith spoke up, glaring at Lotor.

Lotor cocked his head to the side, sending Keith a confused look. "What?"

"There needs to be boundaries with this whole...partnership," he said, putting emphasis on "partnership."

"What do you mean? As far as I'm concerned, we're only business partners that are working together to ensure that we stay alive," Lotor said dryly.

Keith pursed his lips. "Can I talk to you somewhere private?"

"What the fuck?!" Lance yelled from the kitchen, dropping what Keith couldn only assume was a knife in the sink.

Matt grimaced. "I'll go check on Lance." He quickly slipped out of the room, leaving Keith and Lotor to stare each other down.

"I have no idea why you would possibly want to talk to me in private, but I have time to spare," Lotor said, crossing his arms across his chest. "Where do you suggest we go?"

"Somewhere where we can keep an eye on you in case you try any funny business," Krolia said lowly, loud enough for only Keith and Pidge to hear her.

"The front porch?"

"Hm. If you don't suspect that people are watching, then sure."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Fine. Follow me upstairs." He stood up and walked up the stairs to the second floor of the house, ignoring the pain at the back of his head.

Lotor followed him wordlessly, sending Acxa a final look before ascending up the stairs. He followed Keith into what he assumed was the upstairs guest room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Two things instantly happened. Keith locked the door shut behind him, standing against it with his arms crossed tightly across his chest.

Meanwhile, downstairs, a war broke out.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Allura screeched, whirling around to glare daggers at Pidge once she was sure that Lotor was out of earshot, startling the everyone in the room.

"You forced me into a partnership with someone who tried to kill me, my unborn child, and Coran?! What kind of monster are you?!"

"Excuse me?! I'm trying to save your life here you ungrateful bitch!" Pidge yelled back, returning the scathing look at Allura.

Shiro gripped onto her shoulder tightly. "Allura–"

"No, Shiro! You could've said something, anything!"

"Allura, I almost killed you, my children and my niece today because of some twisted Galra who came after us! I can't do anything other than agree, and you know that. I care so much about you–"

"If you did you would've said something," she said harshly, her eyes watery.

"The Galra did terrible things to my father, Shiro. It all happened because of a failed partnership with them and I... I can't afford to lose anymore people who I care about," Allura said, her head hanging low. "I can't lose you again."

Pidge felt her breath hitch in her throat. Her eyes went wide and the room suddenly became too big, the silence too loud. It was an argument that she had had with Keith a while ago, when he had tried to offer the idea of him taking after Shiro and becoming a police officer as well.

_"I don't understand, Katie. This is a well paying job we're talking about! I could finally afford to buy a house for us, a nice one at that!"_

_"I'd rather you come back home alive each day than me having to go see your corpse at the hospital!"_

Pidge was snapped out of her thoughts when Krolia lightly tapped her shoulder. Pidge looked up, being met with Krolia looking down at her with motherly concern written all over her features.

"Are you alright? Do you feel sick? I can get Colleen," she said lowly, being cautious so as to not interrupt Shiro and Allura's private conversation.

Pidge shook her head, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I-I'm fine," she said, her voice wobbly. "Just...kinda overwhelmed, I guess."

Krolia nodded. "I understand." Glancing around and noticing that no one was watching, she leaned down to whisper into Pidge's ear.

"For the record, I don't agree with your actions. At all."

Pidge frowned. "Then why are you acting like you care about me being sick?"

"You're the mother of my grandchild, Pidge. I can't stay mad at you," Krolia huffed, shaking her head slightly.

"Oh."

"But I understand where your decisions and emotions are coming from," Krolia said, her voice suddenly becoming gentle.

"I..."

"You're a mother, and I know what it's like to want to protect your children at any cost. The way you went about doing that, however? There was a better way, but what is done is done, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Pidge swallowed her spit, her gaze flickering from between Lotor's girl group and Allura.

"Oh..."

"Putting your safety in the hands of others is never a good idea," she warned, finally lifting her head up and sitting up straight.

"Make sure you don't regret it."

Shiro and Allura stopped talking and turned to look at Pidge, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Acxa, Ezor, Zethrid, and Narti turned around to face her as well. Krolia only turned her face around and faced the wall, a small frown on her lips.

"What?" Pidge asked after a moment of silence.

"Your husband is fighting with Lotor," Ezor said in confusion, pointing a finger upstairs.

" _Husband_?" Pidge echoed, her voice slightly rising in volume. Krolia only let out a low chuckle, slightly amused by how Pidge sounded both offended and afraid.

Everyone trained their eyes on the ceiling, where loud shouts and bumps could be heard.

Lance, Matt and Hunk stuck their heads out the kitchen, bandages wrapped around Lance's left hand and a knife in Matt's hand.

"What the quiznack are they doing up there?"

"Probably killing each other," Krolia said, crossing her arms across her chest and looking up at the ceiling when more shouts were heard.

"Are we just going to...leave them there?" Hunk asked, looking at Pidge in concern.

"I trust Keith enough to know that he won't kill someone, even if he does hate them," Pidge said, letting out a deep sigh before looking up at the ceiling again. "Hopefully."

"Hopefully," Acxa mumbled under her breath.

* * *

Keith stood protectively in front of the door, blocking Lotor's only exit.

The young Galra man only stood there, raising a brow as he stared at Keith.

"Any explanation as to why you wanted to have this private chat of yours? We already went over–"

"Why are you really back?" Keith blurted out in a rush, his voice harsh. "Why not stay in New York and ignore the problems that the Galra and Altea are having now? It's not your problem, so why are you here?"

Lotor blinked. "Excuse me, what?"

"You heard me," Keith barked, remaining pressed firmly against the door.

Lotor scoffed, uncrossing his arms and placing a hand on his hip. "If you think this is about Katie–"

"That's exactly what I think it's about," Keith growled.

Rolling his eyes, Lotor sent Keith and unimpressed look. "Is that really your only concern? Keeping her by your side? You wouldn't have to worry about her leaving you if you knew she actually loved you."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, but I do," Lotor replied quickly, a small smirk on the edge of his lips. "You're afraid that I'm going to take her away from you, aren't you?"

Keith glared at him, clenching his fists tightly at his side. "How fucking dare you, you piece of shit? I am not afraid of anything, much less losing Pidge! She's my girlfriend; the mother of my child!"

Lotor clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk. Letting your emotions get the best of you like usual. Seems like much hasn't changed with you in the six years I've been away."

"Stop it," Keith growled. 

"You're still the same, insecure teenage boy that was afraid of letting any other male get even a bit close to her in fear of what they could do to her; of what they could do to you. You've always been a coward–"

" _Stop_ ," Keith hissed. 

"–a coward who's afraid of losing everything. You know what's the problem? The fact that you fear everything; the fact that you try to act brave, even though you won't step up to the plate when you need to."

"Stop it!"

"Coward," Lotor sneered, narrowing his eyes and training his gaze on Keith.

Without warning, Keith launched himself at Lotor, tackling him to the ground with a loud thud. He quickly started punching Lotor's body with his fists, his anger taking over. All he saw was red while he fought the other Galra male, red on his fists and red in his mind.

Lotor let out a sharp breath as he was tackled onto the ground, curling his fingers into a fist and punching Keith across the face with his left hand.

Keith only hit him harder, the two rolling around on the ground while desperately trying to land hits on the other's body.

"You don't...know what the fuck...you're talking about! I love my family, and my girlfriend, and my friends! I'm not a coward!" Keith yelled, landing a hit against Lotor's chest.

"Coward," Lotor hissed, rolling into his stomach and quickly getting up. "You can't even land a decent hit to knock me out! What makes you so sure that you can protect them without me?! You're weak, and pathetic!"

Keith roared as he pushed Lotor onto the guest room bed, the two clawing at each other's faces while they rolled on the bed. If it had been any other situation, Keith wouldn't have hesitated to make a joke, but right now he was _furious._

"Take it back you son of a bitch!"

"I never take back the truth!" Lotor snarled, pushing Keith off of him with his feet.

Keith fell with a loud thud onto the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He desperately gasped for air, heavily heaving as he tried to get back up on his feet.

With his head lowered facing the ground, Keith let out a low growl as Lotor's two feet came into view, standing perfectly in front of him.

"You weak, pathetic fool. You think that you can save your family without me. If she runs to me, it won't be my fault. It'll be yours for failing to protect her," Lotor sneered.

Keith grunted, refusing to meet Lotor's eyes.

"Oh don't be so sad," Lotor said with fake pity, "I'm sure she'll remember to send you a Christmas card once the job is done."

Without warning, Keith launched himself off the floor at full force once more. With a yell, he punched Lotor across his mouth, the other male letting out a sharp yell as he stumbled across the room.

Lotor desperately looked around for something to hold onto, clinging on desperately to the closet door handle. Before he could get into a fighting stance, he was pinned against the wall by Keith, who looked like he was about to commit murder.

"Listen here, you spoiled piece of shit," Keith hissed, pulling out his blade and holding it against Lotor's neck, "I would die to protect my family, and if you so as much try to tear us apart I won't hesitate to end your fucking life. I am no coward, and you are no king. We are even players, and you aren't all high and mighty here. You're on our playground now. Understand?"

He edged his blade closer to Lotor's neck, narrowing his eyes into slits.

"Understand?" He said harshly, the question sounding more like a command than a question.

Lotor looked down at the blade and back at Keith's eyes, his face unreadable. Then the impossible happened.

He chuckled.

Lotor started chuckling lowly before throwing his head back, falling into a full blown fit of laughter as he looked Keith in his eyes.

Keith's murderous expression was replaced by pure confusion, the boy at utter loss as to why the one who had berated him was laughing.

"Wh...what's so funny?" He demanded.

Lotor's laughter died down, his signature smirk returning to his lips as he stared down at the shorter male. Without warning, he reached out and crossed Keith's arms behind his back, disarming him by taking away his blade and forcing him to his knees.

Keith let out a sharp gasp as he was forced to the ground, desperately whipping his head around to try and figure out what the hell Lotor was doing.

"What are you doing?!"

Lotor let go of Keith's hands, leaving the boy free, before moving to stand in front of him with his hands on his hip. He held the blade in his right hand, observing Keith's face.

"You're right. You're not a coward."

He threw Keith's blade on the ground in front of him, staring down at Keith with his signature smirk.

"Have you been training with the Blade of Marmora? Because if you have, they haven't been teaching you well at all."

Keith blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked suspiciously.

Lotor chuckled. "I'm not here for your girlfriend, Keith. My motives are true. I only came here to stop the suffering that was cast upon the Alteans who haven't done anything wrong. They're being punished for my mistake, and I only came to help save them."

Keith furrowed his brows before slowly getting up, picking up his blade in the process.

"Then why did you call me a coward?"

Lotor's face turned somber. "Because I needed to make sure that you weren't only saying it and that you actually meant it," he said gravely.

"This is a war we're fighting, Keith. We need our bravest soldiers on the frontlines. I was just testing you to make sure that you are willing to do anything to protect the treasure."

"What treasure?"

"The future of Altea," Lotor said lowly, frowning. "With a bit more training, you would make a fine soldier. However, you're willing to do anything to protect those you love, and that's the most important quality needed to win this battle."

He cast Keith a small smile. "You make a good father and eventually, a fine husband for Katie."

Keith only blinked. "Wait, hold on. Are you saying that you just gave me a bruised face because you wanted to _test me_?" He asked incredulously.

Lotor's smirk returned at full force. "Maybe. Or maybe I just wanted to finish what we started six years ago when you really thought I was going to end your life."

Keith let out a small huff of air. "That was a while ago. I'm not as stupid or reckless as I was back then."

Lotor hummed. "No, but you can still see some of it there."

"Shut up."

Lotor gestured towards the door, raising a brow as if inviting Keith to open it. Keith only shook his head before opening the door, motioning for Lotor to walk out.

Lotor grinned before walking out, waiting for Keith to close the door behind him. As they walked down the stairs together, Keith let out a sharp sigh.

"You're explaining to Pidge why her boyfriend has a black eye," he said bluntly.

Lotor snorted. "Duly noted."

* * *

"Okay, I still don't understand," Pidge said later that night, turning to face Keith with Zoe in her arms. "He beat you up to prove that you weren't a coward?"

Keith shrugged. "Apparently," he replied, laying on their shared bed with an ice pack on his left eye.

Pidge shook her head. "I don't understand men. Why in the world would you beat each other up just to prove a point?"

"It's Lotor. There's no telling what half of the sh–stuff," he said, correcting himself, "he does means. I was just as surprised as you were when you were when he started calling me a coward. I mean, can you believe it? I literally saved his life!"

Pidge snorted. "Maybe he has a crush on you," she teased, booping Zoe on the nose as she put the squirming child on the bed. "I mean, you are pretty hot when you're riled up."

Keith flushed red. "Stoppp," he whined, sending her an adorable pout.

She let out a laugh. "Can't lie if it's the truth," she said cheekily.

Zoe rolled over onto her stomach, crawling towards Keith with urgency. She quickly climbed up onto his stomach, laying her head on his chest while poking his cheek with her index finger.

"Daddy booboo," she said in a tone that could only be described as concern.

Keith chuckled softly. "Don't worry, baby girl. I'd do anything to protect you, even if it means getting a lot of boo-boos."

Zoe only frowned before curling on his chest, closing her eyes. She absentmindedly laid her hand against Keith's cheek and clutched onto his shirt in a little fist with her other, her lips in an adorable pout.

Keith felt his heart melt. "Pidge, I think I'm melting."

"Oh come on, you old sap, don't ruin the moment with your stupid comments," she said, smiling softly watching Zoe drift off to sleep.

Her expression immediately turned somber as her gaze flickered up to his bruised eye, her brows creasing in concern.

"But she's right. Daddy does have a big boo-boo, and it's worrying me. What in the world did he say that was so bad that it made you two start throwing punches at one another? I seriously thought that you guys were only going to talk."

Keith rested a hand on top of Zoe's back before motioning for Pidge to join him on the bed with his other hand. She scooted to his side carefully to not wake Zoe before taking his ice pack and pressing it gently to his eye.

"It wasn't anything too bad, so don't worry, you don't have to kill him."

Pidge let out a small huff of laughter. "I can't kill the guy who's our only chance of having an actual future together, can I?"

Keith's smile slipped. "Yeah, I guess."

Pidge frowned. "What's wrong, Keith? You never get into fights anymore, even with Lance, who annoys the crap out of you daily. What did he say?"

Keith looked up into her amber eyes, his face breaking out into a small smile.

"Nothing that I can't handle."

Pidge let out a sigh. "You aren't going to tell me, are you?"

Keith shook his head. "It's stupid, anyways. Just...boys being boys I guess," he said nonchalantly, shrugging.

Pidge sent him an unimpressed look. "You're both grown ass men who both got shot and stabbed at the age of eighteen. You stopped being boys when you were eighteen."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Figure of speech, babe."

Pidge began to play with his hair, leaning into him gently.

"I was worried, you know. I didn't know what he was going to do to you," she said lowly. "I thought...maybe I made the wrong choice by letting him back into our lives. I know Allura hates me right now, but is it so selfish of me to want to have a future with the people I love?" She asked quietly.

Keith laid there silent for a while, listening to his girlfriend.

"Is it really that stupid and selfish? I shouldn't have done it. I should've just fought by myself, I should've–"

"You shouldn't have listened to Krolia," Keith finally said, cutting her off.

Her eyes widened. "How did you–"

"Know?" Keith scoffed slightly. "My mom told me the same thing when she was telling me not to let you go after that fight we had back in senior year."

"Which one? We had a lot, you know."

Keith shuddered. "Yeah, let's never do that again. But anyways, she said it to me after we blew up at each other in the mall, a few hours before I confessed."

"Oh," she said quietly.

"Yeah. She told me to not regret my decision of letting you go, or something along those lines. She just wants the best for you, you know, but she can be a bit much at times. She's my mom and I love her, but you don't have to worry about what she's telling you."

"Really?"

"Really," he confirmed. "You did what you thought is right, and I know I might've been against it at the beginning, but maybe, just maybe, siding with Lotor is a good idea."

Pidge hummed lightly. "You didn't agree at the beginning?"

Keith shrugged. "Talking with Lotor helped me realize some things I should've realized at the beginning."

Pidge rolled her eyes. "You mean when you beat each other up, right?"

Keith grinned. "Yeah, I guess that's a more accurate term."

She let out a laugh, letting her head drop into his chest while resting her hand over Zoe's small form.

Before long, Keith intertwined their fingers, Pidge squeezing them together tightly.

"Hey Katie?"

"Hm?" She asked, beginning to nod off.

"I love you," he said quietly, abandoning the ice pack and resting it on her back.

Pidge smiled. "I love you too, you stupid boy."

With that, she curled up closer next to him. Within a few minutes, she passed out, the day's excitement getting the best of her.

Keith, however, couldn't. Lotor's words kept replaying in his mind, not letting him rest in peace.

_"You're a coward."_

_"You think that you can save your family without me."_

_"If she runs to me, it won't be my fault."_

Keith let out an involuntary shudder, tightening his grip on both Zoe and Pidge. Logic said that Lotor didn't actually mean it and that it had only been a test, but was that true? How much of what he had said was true, and how much had been a lie? A feeling of paranoia grew inside of him as he desperately tried to forget what happened, trying to focus on his sleeping girlfriend and child.

But the feeling remained there, eating away at him as he tried to reassure himself that Pidge loved him and that Lotor wouldn't try anything with her. _She won't leave you; she loves you. Lotor wouldn't do that to you...would he?_

He let out a sigh and shut off the lamp on the bedside table, staring up at the ceiling.

He hoped they hadn't just made the biggest mistake of their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay wow! I haven't updated this story in so long, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it. School's just been tough and I haven't had much inspiration for this, but I promise I'll try to update more frequently. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!


	5. Something Sweet, Something Rotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith makes some life changing decisions involving his future with Pidge. Lotor makes a life changing decision as well, bringing sourness to their sweet day.

Shiro shivered in the cold November air, the wind hitting his cheeks as he sat on the edge of the dock, his legs hanging over the edge.

“Is there any reason you brought me here at five in the morning instead of our usual jog?” He asked through chattering teeth, rubbing his hands over his arms in an attempt to heat himself up. 

Keith shook his head rapidly, kicking his legs back and forth over the water as he let out a small sigh. 

Shiro let out a small huff upon receiving no response. “You know, if you dragged me all the way out here and won’t tell me why, I’ll have no choice but to dunk you in the lake.”

Keith snorted, sending his brother a small smirk. “You wouldn’t.”

“You ruined my beauty sleep by an hour, Keith. Also, I’m your older brother. I have more rights than you.”

“Whatever you say, old timer,” Keith teased, his lips curling up into a grin. “Mom won’t believe you, anyways.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “You’re literally only five years younger than me. Also, at least I was married by your age. My white hairs have a reason for growing, you know.”

Keith’s smile slipped and he shifted his gaze away uncomfortably, kicking his legs over the water more quickly.

“Marriage...yeah…”

Shiro narrower his eyes suspiciously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Keith shrugged. “I don’t know. Is marriage worth getting old for? Like, look at you and Allura. You guys are getting grey hairs, and you’ve been getting them since before you got married. You just got more stressed with kids after you got married, and you’re getting old really fast!”

Shiro blinked. “And?”

Keith frowned. “Don’t you worry sometimes? Like, you’re getting old really fast, and one day your kids will be grown up and you’re just going to be with Allura and annoying the crap out of each other because that’s what old married people do.”

“Keith, what are you talking about?”

“Do you ever regret getting married?” Keith blurted out, meeting Shiro’s eyes with his own. 

Shiro gaped at him. “Why...why in the world would you ever think that?”

Keith frowned. “I don’t know. I just...well, I don’t know.”

Shiro raised a brow. “Did you really come out here to ask me if I regret being married to the most wonderful woman in the world? Because I have to say, I don’t think–”

“I’m thinking about proposing to Katie,” Keith said quickly. 

Shiro stopped talking mid sentence, turning to look at Keith with comically wide eyes. He just stared at his younger brother, Keith growing more unnerved by the second. 

“H...hello? Earth to Shiro? Fuck. This is exactly why I didn’t want to–”

“Holy shit!” Shiro yelled, startling poor Keith. 

Keith jumped in the air, gasping as he started falling face forward into the lake. He was saved by Shiro, who grabbed onto Keith’s jacket and pulled him back up into a sitting position. 

Keith clutched his chest, glaring at his older brother with slit eyes. “Don’t...fucking scare me like that!”

“Can you blame me?!” Shiro yelled, eyes filled with excitement. “You just admitted that you’re going to propose!”

Keith’s cheeks flushed a shade of pink and he let out a hesitant smile. “I did?”

Shiro grabbed the boy by his shoulders, sticking his face in Keith’s. “This is so...so surprising! It’s a good surprising!” He quickly reassured, watching Keith pout. 

Keith rolled his eyes, pushing his brothers face away with his hand. “Was it supposed to be bad surprising?”

Shiro shrugged. “I mean, if you want to be tied down to the Holts for the rest of your life, then yes, it’s a bad surprising.”

Keith snorted. “I’ve been tied down to the Holts since I was five. Believe me, if that didn’t do it, my sudden kissing scene at graduation sealed my fate.”

“Well, I mean, you did kiss her in front of the entire school population.”

Keith let out a wistful sigh. “I wish it would’ve been longer. The entire school would’ve rioted.”

Shiro raised his prosthetic up to his eyes, inspecting his fake nails. “Well, I mean you got your wish when Zoe came around. Bet your entire graduation class rioted,” he said innocently. 

Keith let out a scandalized gasp, showing Shiro by the shoulder harshly. 

“Shut up!”

Shiro smiled innocently. “What? Weren’t we talking about you proposing?” He suddenly gasped, shoving Keith by his shoulders excitedly. 

“Does this mean I have dibs on best man at the wedding?!”

Keith sent him a flat look. “No, because you made Matt the best man at your wedding.”

“But you weren’t even excited when I offered you to be a part of my wedding!” Shiro shouted, eyes wide. “How is that fair?!”

Keith shrugged. “Payback is a bitch, Shiro, no matter what.”

Shiro pouted. “Fine. If I’m not your best man, then who is? Matt? Hunk?”

Keith grinned. “Maybe I’ll just get Lance to be my best man instead.”

“This is just because he asked you to be the best man at his wedding, isn't it,” Shiro deadpanned. 

“What can I say? I‘m a man of many priorities.”

Shiro grinned. “So who’s on your invite list?”

Keith gaped at him. “I haven’t even proposed, and you’re already planning the wedding!” 

“What can I say? I’m a man of many priorities,” Shiro mocked teasingly. 

Keith cocked his head to the side. “Are you just going to bully me or help me out? Because I’m freaking out over here about proposing and you’re already planning our whole ass wedding and that’s not really helping my anxiety.”

Shiro cocked his head to the side. “I don’t know. Are you going to make me best man at your wedding? Because I’m freaking over here about you finally getting married. I mean, hello? I’m your brother for crying out loud!”

Keith huffed. “If you really believed that you would’ve made me your best man at your wedding.”

“No because if I did that, you would’ve started singing some musical song instead of giving a speech,” Shiro deadpanned. “Plus, you were all depressed when my wedding came around. You were freaking out about walking down the aisle with Pidge.”

“And to think that I’m going to be walking down the aisle again with her,” Keith mused aloud. “Both at Lance’s wedding and my own...if she says yes, anyways.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “She’s going to say yes, Keith. If she’s stayed around this long, I’m convinced you’ll have her by your side for the rest of your life.”

Keith frowned. “But what about Lotor?” He asked, picking at his sleeve. 

Shiro groaned. “Not this Lotor thing again.”

“Just...hear me out, okay? I just think that maybe she likes him a bit. No one just gets over the first person they dated, and just look at him! It doesn’t take a genius to see that he’s attractive.”

Shiro wrinkled his nose. “He is?”

Keith rolled his eyes. “Okay, maybe not to you, but what about Pidge? She dated him for four months, for crying out loud!”

“And she had a child with you as soon as you graduated. Your point?” Shiro asked, sending his brother a bored look. 

Keith pursed his lips, fixing his brother with a long stare. 

“You are not helping.”

Shiro huffed out a laugh. “Okay, okay, I’ll be helpful now. But if it gets cheesy, just know that you were the one who asked for this, okay?”

Keith shook his head. “Yeah yeah, whatever. Give me some advice on why or why not I shouldn’t propose. I’m having an internal crisis.”

Shiro nodded before crossing his legs on the pier, letting his hands fall into his lap. 

“In all seriousness, proposal isn’t a subject that you can just shout out there as a joke. It’s a serious commitment, and when you propose to someone, you have to be sure that you want to spend your life with this one person.”

Keith scoffed. “I know that.”

Shiro nodded. “Good. Like I was saying, when you propose, you’re making a commitment to be with this person for the rest of your life. In your case, you’re scared because…?”

“Because Katie might not say yes and might go for Lotor,” Keith replied quickly. 

Shiro grimaced. “Yeah, that. Honestly? I think you’re overreacting. You have nothing to worry about, especially with Lotor. And before you go, ‘oh no Shiro! Stop lying!’,” he said in a high pitched voice, trying to imitate Keith, “I’m going to give you one solid reason why she’s guaranteed to say yes.”

“I don’t sound like that,” Keith whined. “And stop trying to sound like Ryan. It’s not working.”

Shiro raised a brow. “Kinkade?”

Keith rolled his eyes. “I’m talking about Buzzfeed Unsolved, you uneducated old man. You literally watched like three supernatural seasons with me the day before my nineteenth birthday.”

“Can I go on with my speech or not?” Shiro complained, sending Keith a tired look. 

“Fine.”

Shiro nodded. “Thank you. The only reason? Love.”

Keith wrinkled his nose. “You sound like a Hallmark Card.”

“Listen,” Shiro said exasperatedly, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, “Am I going to talk or are you?”

“Ugh. Just stop making it so cheesy!”

“Love is what binds you two together,” Shiro continued, ignoring his brother’s complaint. “Love is what made you two last as long, and by that I mean since you met when you were five. You guys have had fights, but you always end up together when the storm passes. It’s the only reason you’ve lasted this long.”

“Well, obviously I love her,” Keith muttered. “I got her a ring with her favorite emerald stone.”

Shiro whistled. “Going all out, huh?”

Keith nodded before looking away, attempting to hide his growing blush. “Go on with your speech, old man,” he muttered. 

Shiro grinned. “As I was saying, you clearly love her so much that you got her her favorite gemstone, and she loves you back because she literally had a child with you. You both love each other so much, and that’s so rare that it’s so precious…”

“I know that already.”

“...and it’s also the reason why you two would last for a long time,” he said softly. 

Keith briefly glanced up at his brother, who was looking down at Keith with a prideful smile. 

“You’ve both made mistakes but you’ve fought them together, and you’ve always succeeded. You’ve seen each other in your highs and lows, and you’re determined to stay by each other’s sides until death do you apart. That’s all you need to know to know that you’re ready to propose.”

Keith frowned, clenching his jacket in a tight fist. “But Shiro, what if she’s not ready? What if I’m jumping the gun? What if we get married and she regrets it?”

“Would you regret it?” Shiro asked. 

“Never,” Keith replied without missing a beat, his tone fierce and defensive.

Shiro smiled. “That’s all you need to know, buddy. You’re more than ready to marry her. And believe me, she’s more than willing to marry you.”

Keith looked up at his brother, fear and hesitation written in his eyes . “How can you be so sure?”

Shiro grinned. “Because she hasn’t been subtle in hiding it when she hangs out with me and Allura. If you don’t move fast, believe me, Pidge will whip out a ring and get on one knee, not you.”

Keith let out a snort of laughter. “I can totally see that happening.”

Shiro hummed in agreement. “Before we go back, just how long have you had the ring you’re using to propose?”

Keith let out a small sigh. “A few months.”

“Keith.”

“Two years.”

“Jesus Christ,” Shiro whispered in astonishment, his eyes going wide. “You’re that hesitant to ask?”

“Hey, I didn’t say that to you when you waited two years to confess to Allura. To confess,” he emphasized. 

“Okay, but to be fair, I was pretty sure she had a boyfriend,” Shiro said defensively. 

“Yeah, because falling asleep on your shoulder on purpose during Friday movie night and glaring at any other girl that tried to flirt with you means that she has a boyfriend,” Keith deadpanned. 

Shiro rolled his eyes. “Says the one who literally fell hopelessly in love with his neighbor at ten.”

“Hey! At least we did something when we were sure of what we felt,” Keith bit back defensively, although his tone was laced with amusement. “Not like you and Allura who knew you liked each other and only got together when you almost died.”

“Actually, we only let you believe that so you would win your bet with Pidge,” Shiro said in amusement. “Allura and I were dating since sophomore year, not senior like you guys thought.”

Keith gaped at him. “What?”

“You won’t your bet, didn’t you? If we had revealed it in sophomore year, none of you would’ve won your bet. Except for maybe mom,” Shiro said thoughtfully, putting a finger up to his chin. “She did win your bet, after all.”

Keith blinked owlishly. “What bet?”

“Ah, just the bet we all set on you and Pidge getting together. Truly stupid since only one of us won,” he said dismissively. 

“You guys bet on us?! What’s next, you bet on our marriage?!”

“Oh about that, can you maybe not propose until Christmas? I’m trying to win five hundred here.”

“You are literally the worst brother ever.”

Shiro grinned. “Oh come on, Keith. I’m joking! Propose whenever you want. Truthfully, I’m just happy you’re not chickening out anymore.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Shiro reached up to ruffle Keith’s hair, his brother making a sound of protest. 

“You’re welcome.”

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, watching the early morning sun rise while the birds around them in the trees began to whistle and chirp. The forest around them suddenly began bursting with life, both Keith and Shiro watching contently as the lake tides rippled. 

“Did you know that I bought us our own house and adopted a dog too?” Keith asked out of the blue. 

Shiro only choked on his spit.

* * *

Pidge grunted frustratedly as she poured milk into Zoe’s bowl, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. Zoe laughed as she began banging on her high chair table, causing the bowl to teeter dangerously close to the edge. 

“Zoe, please,” Pidge urged tiredly, placing the milk on the counter and snatching the bowl off the table. “I’m trying to pour your breakfast here. Can you try to stay still for one minute?”

“Food!”

“Yes, I know,” Pidge said, letting out a deep sigh. “Just, let me get it done, okay?”

“Aaaaaay!”

Pidge let out a small puff of laughter, ruffling her daughter’s hair gently before pulling the cereal out of the cupboard, pouring Cheerios into the small bowl while humming a tune under her breath. 

She stared at the countertop, frowning as she noticed that Keith’s keys were still on the counter. 

“Where the hell is your dad?” Pidge asked nobody in particular, placing Zoe’s bowl on her high chair before starting to feed her with her spoon. “He’s supposed to help me set up your party,” she mumbled in annoyance. 

“Daddy?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Guess I’m going to have to call Lance to come help me set up instead of your dad. I swear, he didn’t even tell me he was going out!”

“Dog!” Zoe said excitedly, her mouth full of milk and cereal. 

“No, he didn’t go out to walk BaeBae,” Pidge said, smiling. “The thought of that would be nice, though.”

“Woof!”

Pidge laughed. “Come on Zoe, eat your cereal before I call uncle Hunk. You know how he is with airplanes,” she teased. 

Zoe gasped. “No!”

“Thought so.”

“Katie? Is that you?” A voice called out from the top of the stairs, soft and curious. 

“Yeah mom,” Pidge called out, still seated in her chair. “I’m just feeding Zoe before the crazy birthday stuff starts.”

“It’s unusually early for you to be up, you know,” Colleen said as she descended, deciding to stand in the dining room door frame. “For both you and Zoe. And where’s Keith?”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “You can blame Zoe for making me get up so early. She woke up and said she was hungry, and I woke up to find Keith gone. It’s been an hour and he still isn’t home. What am I supposed to do, plan a party all by myself?”

Colleen chuckled. “Maybe he’s getting her a present? You never know. Maybe it’s the special one he was talking about a while back.”

Pidge snorted. “Mom, I’m pretty sure Keith wouldn’t be that irresponsible. We can’t afford a d-o-g right now, especially that one that Keith fostered for like a week. He’s a very uh, special case,” she said carefully, eyeing Zoe. 

Colleen sent her an unimpressed look. “You’re saying that as if Keith would care. Besides, wasn’t it Krolia’s idea go have him foster the d-o-g? Not her fault both your daughter and boyfriend fell in love with him after the first night.”

Pidge let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know. I just hope that he realizes that we don’t have the time or money to raise another d-o-g. I mean, we already have one right here,” she said, gesturing to a sleeping BaeBae. 

Colleen crossed her arms across her chest. “Your daughter is tiring out poor BaeBae. He’s already old, and now having to run because a baby is chasing after him? It’s a miracle he’s lasted this long.”

“Are you trying to convince me that letting Keith bring the d-o-g home is a good idea?” Pidge asked, raising a brow. 

“Yes,” Colleen replied with a smile. “Besides, it’d be good for Zoe. She’ll have a companion to grow up with, even when you’re not around to help her. And you already saw how much she adored the d-o-g when Keith first brought him home the first time.”

Pidge let out a sigh. “You’re making the same argument Keith made last night.”

“I heard that that girl Florona from your high school class is taking care of the d-o-g at the shelter until she thinks he’s okay to come home,” Colleen said helpfully. 

“Listen, I think we’d rather just get our own place before making any crazy life changing decisions like owning a d-o-g, especially the one Keith has been looking at,” Pidge said wearily. 

“Dog!” Zoe shouted again, startling both Colleen and Zoe. 

“Eh?” 

“Dog dog!” Zoe said proudly. 

Colleen smiled. “So much for a secret, right Katie?”

Pidge let out a long sigh. “I’m too tired for this. Zoe, you done with your cereal?”

“Pidge, are you done complaining?” A voice called out teasingly from the doorway, laced with fond amusement. 

She let out a groan. “Oh great.”

“Daddy!”

“Princess!” He yelled back excitedly. He walked over towards her and started peppering her face with soft kisses, Zoe squealing as she tried to push her dad’s face away. 

“Ew!”

“Where were you?” Pidge asked, trying to keep her angry facade up. 

Keith grinned, lifting his head up to meet her eyes. “Out with Shiro on a early morning run. We stopped by the shelter on the way back, too.”

Colleen stifled a laugh as she watched her daughter’s brow twitch in annoyance, her lips in a small pout. 

“I didn’t even agree to that!”

“Well I thought it’d be a good present, so now we legally have another d-o–”

“Dog!” Zoe said excitedly. 

Keith blinked. “How…?”

“She has me as a mom, you idiot,” Pidge said, shaking her head. “Why’d you get us another dog? We have BaeBae!” She protested. 

“Because by the end of the month we’re going to have a new house for ourselves and a dog would be a nice finishing touch,” Keith said quickly. 

His lips curled into a grin as Pidge’s jaw dropped, not noticing Colleen slip out of the room with a large smile on her face. 

“A new _what_?”

“I paid a down payment for the house the day after Lotor came and harassed me into helping him,” he said, amusement written all over his features. “It’s ours by the end of the month.”

Pidge stared at him, her gaze unmoving. Her mouth formed words, even though no sound came out. All she could do was stare at him, frozen in place. 

Keith smiled softly and leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. “I love you.”

Pidge finally managed to unfreeze from her place, pushing him back by the shoulders. She held his face in her hands harshly, the boy suddenly losing his smile and looking at her in concern. 

“Uh?”

She only shook her head before harshly pressing her lips against his, her kiss full with passion and the words that she could not say. Keith blinked and let out a small noise from the back of his throat before pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. 

They lasted like that for what like forever until they heard a small “ew!” from behind them. 

Pidge finally let go, letting her hands fall onto his shoulders. She let her head fall into his chest, her lips in a small smile. 

“You idiot. We were supposed to talk about that too.”

“Consider it an early Christmas surprise,” he teased. 

Pidge let out a laugh. “You are full of so many surprises, Keith. I’m so going to marry you in the future.”

“Please do.”

Her smile slipped and she looked up, her face full of shock as she stared back into Keith’s equally shocked face. His cheeks were an interesting shade of red, and his eyes were wide as plates. 

“D...did you just–”

“Ask you to marry me? I think so,” Keith said nervously. 

“Oh my _god_.”

“I swear it was going to be so much more romantic and later on today at the party! I kinda just….messed it up? I’m sorry. So um… what are you gonna say? Yes? No? Maybe later? Please let it be a maybe later so I get to do it right,” he said, his voice trembling nervously. 

“Oh my god!”

“Huh?”

“Of course it's a yes you dumbass!” She yelled excitedly, jumping into the air and wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her head into the crook of his shoulder while wrapping her legs around his waist. 

Keith let out a surprised yelp before automatically wrapping his arms around her back, letting his head fall on top of her own messy bed hair. He let out a relieved sigh, and began rubbing her back up and down as he felt her cry into his sweater. 

“Why are you crying? I didn’t even know you were capable of crying,” he teased lightly. 

“Fuck you,” she choked out, smiling into his sweater. “You finally stopped chickening out and expect me not to cry? I’ve been waiting for this since we graduated!”

“I’ve had the ring since we graduated too,” Keith mused aloud. 

Pidge stopped smiling and pulled her head off his shoulder, pulling his head down to her level with her left hand. 

“Are you telling me that you’ve been hesitant to ask me to marry you for two freaking years?!”

Keith winced. “Maybe?”

Pidge stared at him in disbelief. “You are so weird. What’d you think I was going to say, no?”

“Maybe?”

She shook her head before letting a soft smile, her eyes crinkling up at the corners. ”You dumbass,” she said softly before pressing a gentlem kiss to his cheek. “I would never say no to you.”

“Ass!” 

Both Pidge and Keith whipped their heads around to face their daughter in aghast. Zoe sat in her chair looking pleased with herself, smiling at both of her parents. 

“You are such a bad influence,” Keith chastised.

“Okay but you’re the one who literally postponed proposing for two years.”

“...Fair point.”

“So where’s my ring?”

“In my sock drawer.”

“...Do I want to know?”

“No.”

“Okay then.”

Pidge unhooked herself from Keith’s torso, walking towards Zoe with a content smile on her face. Zoe only extended her hands up in the air, making an ‘up’ motion. 

“So do you want to let them all figure it out by themselves later at the party so we can watch them faint individually or tell them now?” Keith asked. 

“Definitely the fainting.”

“This is why I’m going to marry you.”

He only received a laugh and warm smile in return.

* * *

Lance screamed as he was chased around the yard by Alex and Emi, Mateo rolling his eyes as he swung his legs back in forth as he sat in the porch swing. 

“They’re such babies,” he said in disgust. 

“Aw don’t be so cruel. You were one of them six years ago,” Hunk chided him. “ Remember?”

“Nope! Don’t remember, didn’t happen!” He sang, lifting his nose in the air. “But I do remember Tio Keith and Tia Pidge being soulmates ever since they were kids too.”

“Is that the only thing you remember?” Shay asked from her place next to him, raising an amused brow. “I would’ve thought that you only would’ve remembered teasing Carolina over crying after Baymax dies.”

“I was a dumbass,” he said woefully. 

“Sylvio Mateo McClain!” Lance yelled as he skid to  
a halt, his face full of horror. “You are going apples and bananas if you think that you’re allowed to say those words just because you’re finally ten!”

Mateo pouted. “Pero Tío Lanceeee,” he complained, “I learned it from Tia Pidge!”

“I knew she was going to be a bad influence!” 

“Me? A bad influence? I wouldn’t dream of it!” Pidge called out innocently from her place in the doorframe. 

Mateo smiled. “Tia Pidge!”

Pidge sent him a salute. “Hey, soldier. Foods ready if you’re ready to eat,” she said, flashing Hunk and Shay a smile. 

“Sound good.”

“I’m only gonna eat if we have military food,” Mateo said solemnly. 

“Oh, we have plenty of beans if you want,” she said, smiling. “And corn.”

Mateo raised a brow. “Do army guys eat corn?” He asked suspiciously, looking between Shay and Hunk. 

Hunk shrugged. “Dunno. I’ve never been in the army. Ask Shiro.”

“But he’s a police officer, not an army guy!” Mateo protested. 

“Okay that’s enough army talk for you, mister!” Lance said loudly, pushing Mateo inside. “Marisol is going to kill me if you actually keep talking about joining the army. Also, you are going to eat everything that Tia Pidge’s mom put on your plate.”

Mateo pouted. “But–!”

“No buts! You need to eat all your proteins and carbohydrates, mister! Besides, it’s a party! I bet you that when army guys come back home they get parties thrown for them and they eat a lot, just like in that show you watch on tv.”

“But this isn’t–”

“What is taking you guys so long?” Keith asked impatiently, holding Zoe in his arms. “The food is going to get cold!”

“Foooooood,” Zoe said excitedly, patting Keith’s cheek. 

Keith smiled down at her. “Yeah, food for the princess. And guess what Zoe? Later on, you’re going to get the best birthday present ever. Courtesy of your dad, of course,” he said while eyeing Pidge with a smirk. 

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Let me live. She probably already knows what it is!”

“Yeah, But does everyone else know?” Keith asked, sending her a suggestive look. 

Lance gagged. “Eugh. You guys are just as bad as you were in college.”

“Well I’m just happy we’re both alive after college, thank you very much,” Pidge said snootily before turning on her heel and walking into the house. 

Shay frowned. “I do not know if that was about college stress or the car accident that you guys were in.”

Keith smiled weakly. “Probably both?”

“Food, Keith!” Pidge yelled from the inside, her tone laced with annoyance. 

“Coming!” He yelled right back loudly, causing everyone in the yard to wince, including Zoe. 

“We better go inside before your wife starts beating our asses for ruining Zoe’s birthday,” Lance said, shuddering as he ushered Alex and Emi inside. 

“Wife? Hello, they’re not even engaged,” Hunk said, helping Shay up from her seat. 

“Didn’t you buy a ring when we graduated two years ago?” Lance asked as they walked inside, closing the door behind him while Hunk and Shay walked past him. 

“I’m just waiting for the right time, that’s all,” Keith said, playing with Zoe’s pigtails. “Is it such a crime to wait until we’re settled down to propose?”

“Uh, Yeah! Especially if you already have a kid and have been dating for more than six years,” Lance said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Well _excuse me_ ,” Keith said snootily. “Doctors do it all the time! Why can’t I do it?”

“Because you’re not a doctor?” 

“I could be, for all you know.”

“Yeah no.”

Suddenly, a loud scream was heard from the kitchen. Zoe jumped in Keith’s arms, while Lance and Keith both looked at each other with wide, confused eyes. At least, Lance did. 

“What the cheese was that?” Lance asked as he quickly ran into the kitchen, Keith following slowly behind with a mischievous smile on his face. 

Lance skid to a halt as he found Allura crying, the older woman clutching onto Pidge's arms tightly. Shiro stood in the background silently while wiping a few tears from his eyes, pride written all over his features. Colleen and Aiko stood behind Pidge, clinging onto each other while smiling as tears rolled down their cheeks as well. 

Matt and Marisol stood in the background, Matt’s eyes looking unusually glassy and his lips quivering. Mateo stood beside his parents, looking on in disinterest. Plaxum pumped a fist in the air, letting out loud noises of celebration while Krolia stood in the background, discreetly wiping a tear away. 

“I’m just… so happy!” Allura wailed, her lips trembling. 

“Mhm,” Pidge said, grimacing as fresh tears started to pour down Allura’s cheeks. 

“I did not expect that reaction,” Keith said, quirking a brow. 

“What do you mean?” Lance asked as he whined around to face Keith suspiciously. “What did you and your demon wife do?”

“They’re going to be actual husband and wife!” Allura wailed, grabbing Pidge’s left hand and holding it out so that everyone could see the bright emerald ring sitting on her fourth finger.

Shiro also burst into fresh tears while Alex and Emi looked up at him in concern, patting his legs awkwardly while he continued to cry. Allura did the same, except now she was smiling at Keith.

“You finally grew up!”

“Holy shit! My sister is actually getting married before she’s eighty!” Matt yelled, yanking Pidge’s hand out of Allura’s grip and inspecting the ring, ignoring his wife’s warning look about his language. 

“I never thought I’d see the quiznacking day!” Plaxum said, her eyes wide and full of excitement as she stopped pumping her fist in the air. 

Hunk started crying into Shay’s shoulder, the woman patting him on the shoulder while sniffling quietly, flashing Pidge a tearful smile. 

Lance let out a sharp breath before looking quickly between Pidge and Keith. He quickly noticed their mischievous smiles and the playful twinkle in Pidge’s eyes. 

“You...she... _married_? Oh my god,” was the last thing Lance said before he collapsed on the ground, smacking his head harshly on the ground. 

Plaxum winced. “Ooh, he’s gonna feel that I’m the morning.”

“Yes!” Pidge cheered, smiling gleefully. “I knew I could count on Lance fainting!”

“Congratulations!” Rosa said warmly, embracing Pidge in a motherly hug, which Pidge gladly returned. It was followed by tearful hugs from both her mom and Aiko, who then proceeded to hug the living daylights out of poor Keith, who only smiled gently.

The women then crowded around Pidge, excitedly trying to get a glimpse at the new bride to be’s ring. Matt was there by her side, trying really hard not to cry while holding Pidge’s hand out so that everyone could see. 

Krolia inched towards Keith and took Zoe from his arms, holding the small child in her arms gently. She flashed her son a proud smile, and Keith felt himself start to melt into a warm smile. 

“I’m so proud of you, Keith. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to do it, if I’m going to be honest,” she said, laughing softly.

Keith grinned. “Well, I did it now, didn’t I?”

“I know,” she said with a smile, “and I’m so happy for you. Now, when’s the wedding?”

Keith groaned, letting out a sigh. “Not you too!” 

Krolia began to laugh, watching on in amusement as her son flushed a shade of red of embarrassment. 

Just then, the doorbell rang. Everyone stopped talking, and Pidge sent Keith the most tired look she could muster before heading towards the door to open it, revealing Florona standing in the doorframe. 

Plaxum immediately brightened up. “Flor!”

“Plax! It’s so good to see you!” Florona greeted excitedly. 

“Yeah! What are you doing here?” She asked curiously. 

“Special delivery for one special girl,” Florona said in amusement as she held out a large box with holes at the sides and top. 

Plaxum raised a brow. “Huh?”

A small muffled bark suddenly filled the air, and everyone only gaped at the box in Florona’s hands. 

Zoe gasped, turning around to face Keith with wide, doe eyes. “Dog?”

Keith nodded, flashing her a grin as he made his way towards the front door, taking the box from Florona’s hands and placing it on the floor. The top suddenly flew open, and out popped the head of a small Siberian Husky puppy, who immediately brightened up upon catching sight of Keith. 

Zoe gasped before letting out a squeal. “Osmo!”

Krolia gaped at Keith. “You kept the stray you found two months ago?”

“What was I supposed to do, say no to adopting him?” 

“Yes?”

The room burst into fits of laughter at hearing Krolia’s response, the small puppy bouncing around excitedly as he ran towards Zoe and Keith, who were both sitting on the ground at this point, excited to see the Siberian Husky once again. 

Florona smiled warmly. “Happy birthday, Zoe.”

Pidge let out a sigh, letting out a small smile as she watched both her fiancé and Zoe play with the small puppy. Lance briefly woke up before collapsing again upon realizing there was now another dog in the Holt residence. 

“You’re welcome to stay if you’d like,” she invited, flashing Florina a smile. “Consider it payback for raising the puppy until now.”

Florona put a hand up. “Psh. It was not trouble at all, honestly! I enjoyed taking care of Cosmo until he was old enough to actually come stay with you guys. And I’d love to stay, but I have to get back to the shelter.”

“Aw. Well, feel free to stop by anytime!” Pidge called out as Florona began making her way back to her car.

“Thanks! I’ll see you around!”

Pidge quickly flashed her a peace sign before shutting the door, letting out a groan as she spotted BaeBae sniffing Cosmo curiously. The rest of the group, especially the children, began to coo at the puppy and try to grab him, Cosmo sticking close to Zoe’s side. 

Lance finally woke up and looked around warily before training his eyes on Keith. His eyes narrowed into slits and he slowly stood up, his knees shaking. 

“First you get an actual car for your family, then you get engaged, and now you adopted your first family pet?! What didn’t you do that won’t give me a heart attack?!”

“I bought us a house to move into by the end of the month,” Keith said, shrugging. 

Lance gaped at him as the adults in the room suddenly quieted down, the only sounds heard being the children cooing at Cosmo. 

“You what?!”

“He’s so grown up!” Hunk cried. 

“I can’t believe Keith finally did something,” Matt said, his eyes watering. “He’s finally a real dad!”

Keith rolled his eyes. “Yeah, screw you too. I can be competent! You guys just have little faith in me.”

“And that’s coming from the guy who hid my engagement ring from me in his sock drawer for two years because he was afraid ’d say no,” Pidge said in dry amusement. 

“Hey!”

Shiro, Allura, Matt, and Marisol guffawed at the remark, finally stopping their crying spell. Hunk and Shay only stared at Keith in horror while he shrugged, Lance facepalming while Plaxum stared at Keith in confusion. 

“Why not leave if somewhere less stinky?”

“It was an unused sock drawer, Plax,” Keith said tiredly. 

“If there’s anything more surprising than Keith and Pidge finally becoming stable adults, I think I’m actually going to lose my freaking mind!” Lance yelled, pulling at his hair. 

Krolia frowned as she looked up from her phone, her expression suddenly serious, a sore spot in the middle of all the joy. “Well you just might lose your mind after this.”

Keith immediately recognized the seriousness in her voice, his smile falling. 

“What’s wrong?”

Instead of responding, Krolia quickly made her way to the TV and turned it on to the first news channel. She pointed at the tv with the control remote, her face stoic. 

“ _That_ is wrong.”

The adults crowded around Krolia, and the kids began to quiet down as they noticed how the adults had suddenly stopped talking. The temperature seemed to drop in the room, causing shivers to run down Pidge’s spine as she heard what the news reporter was saying. 

“ _Just a few hours ago, authorities received an anonymous tip that Zarkon, head of Galra Industries, was going to be assassinated today around three in the afternoon. Upon receiving this information, officers arrived on scene at the time, only to find that Zarkon had already been killed by a gunshot wound in his chest and had been laying like that in his bedroom for hours before authorities arrived at his mansion in the outskirts of North Altea. There is still no information on who the possible assassin could have been_ …”

Pidge’s blood ran cold as she gripped onto her shirt tightly, her brows twitching in fear as she repeated the words in her head. 

_Zarkon had already been killed. Zarkon had already been killed. Zarkon had already been killed._

There was only one person she knew who would do something like this. There was only one person who hated their father so much and who was willing to kill him to make sure his plans would go the way they were supposed to. There was only one person who had talked about possibly killing Zarkon last week during their weekly meeting. 

“ _Lotor,_ ” Keith and Pidge hissed at the same time, anger and fear evident in their tones. 

If Lotor has already set his plan into motion, then that could only mean one thing. 

The war was marching closer to home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so late updating this, but I hope you guys enjoy it!


	6. Love Will Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lotor explains to Keith and Pidge how they’re going to deal with the aftermath of his father's death, and each half of the ex couple have a talk with Keith after his worries become evident during their talk.

Pidge inhaled deeply as she stared up at the door in front of her, the building all too familiar and frightening. The walls looked the same, and the balcony stuck out like a sore spot, just as it had when she was a teen. 

“Are you going to knock or should I do it?” 

She jerked around quickly, eyes wide as she stared up at Keith, who was looking expectantly at her. Zoe was in his arms, half asleep with her eyes slightly open. Pidge couldn’t blame her, though. It was way past her bedtime, and after a day of partying, the poor child had to be exhausted. 

“I’ll knock,” she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. 

Taking a deep breath, she quickly knocked on the door, her fingers lingering on the door a little too long. Keith eyed her suspiciously, but said nothing as she stepped back. 

“Now we wait.”

Within a minute, the door opened, revealing Lotor, who did not seem the least bit surprised by their unexpected visit. 

“I knew you couldn’t wait at least a day before coming to talk to me,” he said, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Move,” She grumbled, shoving past him. Lotor rolled his eyes, motioning for Keith to follow her inside. 

Keith wrinkled his nose, glaring at Lotor. “The last time I was here, you sent thugs to go punch my face until I looked like a grape.”

“Something I won’t do again, I assure you,” Lotor said dryly. “Are you going to go in or not? The child is going to freeze.”

Keith scowled. “If you try any funny business–”

“Listen here, you two,” Pidge snapped, pulling Keith inside before slamming the door shut. She whirled around to face the two men, her face uncharacteristically full of anger. 

“We’re here to discuss something serious, not what happened six years ago, Keith.”

Lotor grinned smugly, Keith glaring at him. 

“And Lotor, you aren’t safe here either. You just killed your father, and now we’re in even more danger than we were before, so you better pray that your plan satisfies me enough before we all die,” she hissed, jabbing a finger into his chest. 

Now it was Keith’s turn to grin smugly, Lotor glaring at him out of the corner of his eyes. 

“I’m going to go try and find something for us to drink in the fridge if you two can manage not to kill each other while I’m gone,” she said, glaring at both men. 

“Oh please,” Lotor grumbled, “we’re not children.”

Pidge looked at him wearily before heading off into the kitchen, where she knew the drinks were. 

As soon as he was sure his fiancé was gone, Keith turned around to face Lotor, sticking a finger in his face. 

“Eat shit and die.”

“Yes, fuck you.”

Zoe stirred slightly in Keith’s arms, the man looking down at her in alarm to make sure she hadn’t heard. To his relief, she seemed to finally be asleep, her head nestled in the crook of his neck. 

“I have an extreme urge to punch you,” Keith said nonchalantly, “but I’m a nice guy. I won’t punch you, even after all you did to put my family in danger.”

“Consider me flattered,” Lotor relied dryly. “Didn’t our little chat from a while ago show you that I’ve turned over a new leaf?”

Keith narrowed his eyes. “Stop talking about that here. She can’t find out about that.”

“She can’t find out that you would go to the ends of the universe to save her?” Lotor asked cynically. “Please. I think she’d be flattered.”

“You clearly don’t know her then. If I said that and actually did it, she’d be demanding that I be put on house arrest,” Keith said dryly. 

“She’s quite lovely like that, isn’t she?” Lotor sighed appreciatively. 

“Hey,” Keith warned, “That’s my fiancé.”

“Oh please. I can admire a woman without wanting to date her,” Lotor said with a roll of his eyes. “I appreciate the kind of woman who can kick my ass.”

“For once we agree on something.”

“You realize that I did save your life, right? We agreed that you couldn’t die,” Lotor replied with a raised brow. 

“Yeah, and then you come back six years later and tell me that my life is in danger because I didn’t die.”

“Fair point,” Lotor said quietly before clearing his throat. “Now, can I ask why she went off to get drinks?”

“Because I can't be in the same room as you two without wanting to down two liters of tequila,” she said, standing behind Keith. 

“If I were stuck in a room with Keith, I too, would love to down two liters of tequila.”

“Hey!”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “This is serious, you guys. Show a little more maturity.”

“Remember when Allura said that she wasn’t a mature adult? Yeah, that’s me,” Keith replied blandly. 

Pidge sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Well, can you at least act a bit mature? Seriously, I’m the one who never sleeps here! You would think that the two older men would be able to act more mature than me.”

“We’re not children,” Lotor pouted, “we’re mature men.”

“Men who cry when they get their chest hair waxed,” Ezor called out from the kitchen, her response being met with a fit of giggles from Zethrid and Narti. 

Pidge crossed her arms across her chest. “Exactly.”

Lotor blinked. “You’re talking to my generals like old friends, but can’t stand me? Didn’t you hate them?”

“They didn’t disappear without warning,” Pidge said snootily. “You did, even after we offered to help you, which, by the way, was a jackass move.”

“I had to escape,” Lotor sighed exasperatedly. “My mother and father wanted to kill me!”

“Clearly nothing has changed because they still want to kill you, but they also want to kill us,” Keith replied dryly. “This is so unfair.”

Pidge raised a brow. “Why?”

“All I did was protect myself from a man who was aiming a gun at me, and that same man wanted me dead!”

“Wants,” Lotor corrected. 

“No, wanted me dead because you killed him,” Keith spat. “Now they probably think that I did it to finish the deed or whatever. They’re holding me responsible for your actions, you ass.”

“Might I remind you that you have a child in your arms? Surely you don’t want her to repeat such foul language,” Lotor said with a small raise of his brow. 

“Keith, he’s actually right. What if one day we’re at a family reunion and she just blurts out a big ‘fuck’ at the party?”

“It wouldn’t be shocking to anyone,” Keith snorted. “We are her parents, after all.”

“Yeah, but just tone it down a bit, okay?”

“...fine.”

“Alright, now that that's settled, I believe that you had a specific reason for visiting me tonight,” Lotor said, smiling placidly. 

“Don’t smile,” Keith said in annoyance. “The whole situation isn’t something to smile about.”

“I had to kill my father. Believe me, I know that it’s nothing to smile about,” Lotor replied bitterly. “If I’m smiling, it’s to not scare off the child and to seem a bit more sane than I’m feeling.”

“She’s asleep,” Keith countered blandly. 

“She’s been glaring at me the entire time,” Lotor said with pursed lips. “Did you train her to do that?”

“She’s not a dog,” Keith sniffed. “You don’t train a kid to hate someone. They do that by themselves.”

“Moo.”

“Yes, I agree that he looks like a cow–ow! Pidge!”

“You haven’t even drank anything to make you act like a jackass,” she hissed. “I don’t like this situation either, but the sooner we fix things, the sooner we can leave. You know, I would’ve expected you two to respect each other just a bit more.”

“Have you met us? We fought in a bedroom,” Lotor said dryly. “Keith looked like a grape by the time we exited the room.”

“Yes, everyone heard your fight,” Pidge said with a roll of her eyes. “That’s not something you should be proud about.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Dead as me on the inside,” she replied without missing a beat. 

An awkward silence filled the hall, Lotor and Keith looking at each other in slight confusion while Pidge took another swing of tequila. 

“Are you...you know...alright?” Lotor asked uncertainly. 

“My child’s life is in danger, my fiancé is acting like a jackass because he’s scared, and my ex is standing in front of me asking if I’m alright when he killed his father a few hours ago,” she deadpanned. “No, I’m not alright.”

“Ah...well, why don’t we uh, take a seat? I’m going to need my generals to join us as well,” Lotor said, emphasizing the word ‘generals’ loudly. 

“Generals?” Keith asked with a small frown. “They’re normal people.”

“We are at war now, Keith. I am the head of the rebellion against my own people, and these are my handpicked generals.”

“You mean the ones who never turned against you,” he replied. 

“No, I mean the ones who have shown interest in helping save you from the perils of the Galra,” Lotor replied swiftly. “Now, please do take a seat. We have much to discuss, and I’m afraid that we must make it quick. I wouldn’t dare keep the child up any longer that she needs to be.”

“She’ll be fine,” Pidge murmured, putting the tequila bottle down on the small center table before taking Zoe in her arms. 

“Alright then.”

Once everyone was settled in their seats, Lotor cleared his throat, looking around at everyone. 

“I’m sure that you’re all aware of the reason why we’re here tonight. However, if you are not caught up on current events, I’ll sum everything up quickly.”

He inhaled sharply, closing his eyes. “I ambitiously killed my father in an effort to slow Haggar down, but it seems to have only inspired her more to rise against the Alteans. She has begun releasing vast amounts of quintessence, and my recent tour of the ‘Empire’ as she calls it showed me that they are becoming...well, monsters, for a lack of better term.”

“They already were monsters,” Keith frowned. “They were beating up the poor people of Altea who lived close to the border separating the two cities. They’ve slowly been infiltrating Altea, crossing over the train tracks into our land.”

“Yes, however they are now actually monsters. They could be called zombies, as an example. They are ruthless killing machines, and while they had control over their motor skills before, they don’t have that control anymore. All they can do now is hunt and kill anyone who isn’t Galra.”

“And how do you know is someone is Galra or not?” Pidge asked. 

“Their blood,” Acxa frowned. “Galra–like us–typically have and AB blood type, which is extremely rare in any other part that isn’t the Empire. You should know that. After all, your fiancé is part Galra.”

Keith lowered his gaze and looked away, avoiding looking at Acxa. 

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I kinda figured that out since the residents of Altea usually have the O-type blood,” Pidge said, glancing at Keith in concern. 

“In any case, the Galra have been growing stronger. Anyone who isn’t a child has been contaminated with the quintessence, with Haggar promising that they’ll have enough power to overtake the other states soon enough after Altea falls.”

“Does she realize just how crazy that sounds? States don’t just fall,” Keith said in disgust. “This is really stupid.”

“It is, but that doesn’t mean we should just let it be. With the quintessence surge, there comes new threats. As the Galra advance into Altea, they are taking some Alteans as their prisoners, infecting them with a surge of quintessence. Of course, Alteans are not as affected as the Galra because they have some sort of immunity to the drug, but some are willingly allowing themselves to be turned into monsters.”

“Why would they do that? That’s like betraying your mother! You can’t just betray the place that has been your home and safe haven!”

“We have no clue about them, but we have suggested to Allura that she be wary of who she works with at her company. Of course she slammed the door in my face when I told her, but at least now she’ll take my help into consideration now that you two know.”

“Would the Alteans willingly injecting themselves with quintessence be part of the plan to take down our entire group? I mean, they would walk around like normal people, but could end up hurting any one of us,” Pidge said worriedly. 

“I honestly have no idea,” Lotor confessed. “All I know is that the records my generals managed to smuggle out of Haggar’s lair showed that some Alteans have been welcomed into the Empire. Has Haggar mentioned anything about them at all?”

“No,” Acxa said with a shake of her head, “she hasn’t. I know a few names, but the Alteans there are rather...peculiar, to say the least.”

“They are,” Ezor snorted. “Some of them believe that if they help Haggar, they’ll have asylum with the Galra if Altea falls. The weirdest reason that they all gave of joining the uprising was that they believed that one of you had killed Lotor years ago, and that they needed to avenge his death.”

“Why would they need to avenge your death?” Keith asked suspiciously. 

“Because I helped a few of them escape the clutches of the Galra long ago when I was about fifteen,” Lotor sighed. “A few of them believed that I was doing something wrong by hiding them in the safe haven known as Altea, but they were wrong. They needed to be taken away from the Galra, who were going to exploit them for their magical abilities.”

“Oh great, here we go again with the magic,” Zethrid grumbled. “Ezor, pass me that tequila.”

“No, you need to be sober for this,” Ezor said while patting her shoulder gently. 

Pidge raised a brow, looking at Acxa curiously. She watched Acxa briefly glare at Ezor before turning her attention back to Lotor, her brows slightly furrowed. 

“The magic is real, Zethrid. Quintessence was pulled out of the magical flowers called juniberries, which are now extinct, even in Altea. Haggar managed to find the remains of a bit of quintessence and found a way to mass produce it, which is how we got stuck in this whole dilema.”

“I still call bull,” she said gruffly. 

“Where is she getting the quintessence from?”

“The same Alteans she’s injecting the quintessence in,” Narti spoke up quietly. 

Everyone in the room looked at her in shock, the woman looking up at them with a small frown. 

“I may be blind, but I can feel you all looking at me.”

“What do you mean, the Alteans?” Lotor asked in shock. “There is no way–“

“Alteans are not easily susceptible to the effects of the quintessence drug because they already have it flowing through their veins. Haggar has been using Alteans since before you brought them to Altea.”

“I don’t understand. She’s been harvesting their quintessence?”

“Yes. She drains them of their quintessence and gives it to the Galra, and the very few that she uses as weapons against the Alteans living as normal people here are injected with the quintessence from the juniberries. They are not extinct.”

“Huh?” Ezor asked, “you couldn’t have told us this while we were there?!”

“No. Haggar would have killed us.”

“She has a point,” Zethrid said. 

“Point or not, that is horrifying,” Lotor shuddered. “Are you sure that she’s doing that?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Because I helped one escape,” Narti frowned. 

Acxa gaped at her. “You were the one who helped the blonde on escape?”

“Yes.”

“Blonde one?” Pidge echoed. “Who the hell is the blonde one?”

“Her name is Romelle,” Narti said gravely. 

“Her entire family was harvested of their quintessence,” Acxa said with a frown.

“She is the only one who knows that Lotor is still alive, and she hates him,” Ezor said. 

“Wait,” Lotor narrowed his eyes suspiciously, “I thought you two didn’t know anything about the Alteans. What are you hiding from me?”

“We didn’t want to say that in front of the very same people who are having their quintessence harvested,” Zethrid said brusquely, pointing at Keith and Pidge. 

“The one with the flippity hair would probably never be harvested of his quintessence since he’s part Galra, but Pidge? She would, and that’s why we didn’t say anything. Great going, Narti,” Ezor said sarcastically. 

“You’re welcome.”

“I still don’t understand,” Keith said in confusion. “If she’s sending quintessence full Alteans back into Altea, is that how she plans to kill us?”

“Oh no. She’d rather do that on her own. If she’s sending Alteans after you, it’s to bring you back so she can end you herself,” Lotor said with pursed lips. 

“And she’d go after me first, right?”

Lotor’s frown softened. “I’m afraid so, yes.”

“Oh.”

Pidge squeezed his shoulder, looking at him in concern. “You okay, Keith?”

“I’ll be fine,” he said dismissively, looking at the tips of his shoes. 

“Oh.”

“However, we won’t let them anywhere near you,” Lotor declared. “We can hire the Blade of Marmora for protection, and offer protection for your mother, Keith. As for Allura and the company, the security will be replace by the Blade in an effort to prevent those who pretend to be normal Alteans from infiltrating the place and ruining everything she worked hard for.”

“And the rest of our group?” Pidge asked. “What’ll happen to them?”

“They will also be under the protection of the Blade.”

“The Blade has been losing more and more members after they were sent into the Empire and never returned,” Keith snapped. “They can’t solve every problem.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were a Blade,” Lotor said with a raise of his brow. 

“I’m not, but my mom is. She has had to train countless new recruits, only to have them disappear once they reach Empire territory. The Blade is stretched thin now, protecting all of Altea because the stupid police are under Galra influence.”

“Even Shiro said so, and he’s been a cop for almost three years now,” Pidge frowned worriedly. “The police and law are not on our side. They’ve been brainwashed by the Galra.”

“We’ll have to hire some other members for the Blade them,” Lotor mused. “If they can’t spare a few as your personal bodyguards, then I’ll fix the problem by having one of my generals live with you until the threat is contained.”

“Is that really such a good idea? I mean, the Blade would be a better choice–”

“Acxa, desperate times call for desperate measures. Altea needs as much of a defense as it can get until we can prepare the town for the oncoming war. Our goal is to try and contain the threat in the Empire before it can even spread to all of Altea, and erase it from history.”

“The goal is also to keep those who are innocent as far away from the fight as possible,” Lotor continued, glancing at Zoe. “Far, far away from the fight. This fight is not between them and Haggar; it is between Haggar and I. I began this mess, and now it’s my turn to end it.”

“But you could be killed,” Acxa said worriedly. 

“That is a discussion for another time. Our main focus here is to keep Keith, his family, and any of the other families that know what happened during that prom night away from any danger. They are being targeted for a reason, and we can’t let Haggar have the satisfaction of killing them.”

“All this because of a stupid prom night,” Ezor scoffed. “Wow. I need a time machine or something to go back in time and erase this mess.”

“Alternate realities exist,” Zethrid grinned. “There's bound to be one where we aren’t tied down with the threat of a war.”

“Highly doubtful, but thanks for trying to cheer me up instead of depressing me like someone,” Ezor said snootily, looking at Acxa. 

“I happen to be a realist, Ezor. We can all die if we don’t play our parts right.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to be so morbid all the time!”

“Well–”

“Ladies, please,” Lotor sighed. “If you have any issues to work out, please do it on your own time. For now, we need to focus on the protection of this group. Acxa, you’ll stay with the Red and Green Paladins.”

Acxa and Keith briefly met eyes, the woman looking away quickly. 

“Of course.”

“Ezor, you’ll stay with the McClain’s. That includes the Blue Paladin’s fiancé and Matt Holt.”

“Paladins?” Keith echoed. 

“Yes, we have you classified based on your high school robotics model. It was the easiest way for us to identify you without saying your names out loud,” Lotor explained. 

“Oh. Okay.”

“Zethrid, you’ll stay with the Yellow Paladin.”

“At least I’m not stuck dealing with kids,” Zethrid said with a roll of her eyes. 

“Narti, you will stay with the Black Paladin. I highly doubt that he would appreciate having me in his home, after all.”

Narti only nodded.

“How are you sure that they’ll accept us in their homes?” Ezor inquired with a small raise of her brow. 

“The threat of any danger coming to their families is enough to convince them if we don’t get through to them,” Keith replied, gripping the edge of his jacket tightly. 

Lotor frowned. “Well, then it’s settled. You will each be dispersing to everyone’s homes once they are aware of the situation. If you are hungry, there’s leftovers in the kitchen from our dinner. Keith, a word?”

Keith snapped his head up, looking at Lotor with wide eyes. 

“What?”

“I would like to speak with you...alone,” he emphasized, watching Pidge scowl at him before following Acxa into the kitchen. 

“We’re alone now. What is it?”

“I couldn’t help but notice that you were tense during the entire duration of the meeting,” Lotor frowned. “I know you and I aren’t on best terms, but I want to know how I can help.”

“You’re already helpings enough with how you’re desperately trying to protect my family. You’re trying harder than I am, and that’s what’s bothering me. I want to do more to protect everyone, but I can’t do anything.”

“You can do much more than I can,” Lotor said gravely. 

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

“Stay alive to watch your family grow,” Lotor said with a small smile. “I have a feeling that Katie would appreciate it more if you stayed alive rather than tried to fight in a war that could kill you. Your family needs you alive, not dead. I’m doing this because you don’t deserve to be targeted for actions that you did years ago.”

“But it was my fault,” Keith argued. “If I hadn’t shot him–”

“You didn’t put him in a coma, Keith. He did that himself by overworking himself after waking up from the surgery. You did shoot the bullet, but it was to protect me after I dragged you through hell for my own selfish gain. It’s not your fault. If there’s anyone to blame for our dilemma, it’s me.

“I had a choice. I could’ve died that day and just let everything happen. Pidge wouldn’t be in danger, Shiro wouldn’t be in danger either. Lance, Allura–”

“If you had died, a part of Pidge would’ve also gone with you,” Lotor replied with a frown. “History cannot be rewritten, Keith. You shot Zarkon, and his self inflicted injuries are being blamed on you. Had you or had you not shot him, Haggar would still be out for blood.”

“How can you be so sure about that?”

“The woman is mad, Keith. Even if Zarkon was perfectly sane, she still would’ve hunted you down for breathing near him. You did nothing wrong. You saved my life, and I am simply returning the favor.”

“Are you sure that’s why you’re doing it?”

Lotor sighed. “Alright, I admit that a bit of it has to do with Katie. However, I have no interest in separating you two ever again. I did that once, and that was enough to never do it again. Besides, you have a family now. All I can do is try and make sure that you and her have a chance at a golden future together.”

“Why? Why help us when we wanted to let you rot? Why help us after Allura called you a monster?”

“Because, Keith, I want to give you all the opportunity to give your families the experience that I never got,” Lotor smiled sadly. “I never got the chance to grow up in a normal home without war. If I can help secure the future for the new generation where there’s no war, then I’ll fight for it. These Altean and Galra children don’t deserve to be punished for the actions of their peers.”

Keith looked up at Lotor with furrowed brows. “You can actually be really nice and honest when you want to be. You’d make a good emperor, if the Empire was actually an empire.”

“Believe it or not, I am. Well, if it was an actual empire, anyways. I just don’t want any more bloodshed. There’s been enough of that for years.”

“Do you think that we’ll actually beat them?” Keith asked quietly. 

“All we can do is hope that we can, Keith.”

“That’s not very reassuring, you know.”

Lotor lips curled into a small smile. “I know, Keith. I know.”

* * *

“So what did you and Lotor talk about?” Pidge asked on the car ride home, looking out the window. 

“Oh, you know. Galra stuff.”

“Keith, you’re half Galra, not full. What’s the real reason you talked?”

Keith let out a sigh. “He’s not as bad of a guy as I thought he was, you know. He genuinely wants to end the war and bloodshed.”

“Really? I didn’t know,” she said sarcastically. “Keith, I told you that since high school. He may seem like a manipulative jackass, but that’s because of the way he grew up. At heart, he’s really soft and only wants the best for Altea.”

“You once mentioned that you visited his parents house once,” Keith said with pursed lips. “What were they like?”

“You know how it felt like when we weren’t talking and hated each other?”

“Yeah?”

“It was a hundred times worse,” Pidge shuddered. “They stare at you while you eat and yell at their son like it’s normal. Lotor tried standing up for himself and me, but ended up having to take the defensive route. I ended up slapping him to get him out of the house.”

“Wow,” Keith whistled, “you? Slapping Lotor? He’s like seven feet taller than you, Pidge. How did you even reach?”

“Oh haha, very funny,” she said with a roll of her eyes, slightly grinning. 

“So he did have a rough past,” Keith mused aloud. “He mentioned that during our talk, but it’s good to know that you can confirm it.”

“I thought you trusted him,” she said with a slight tilt of her head. 

“Not fully, but it’s more than when we first got there. It’s a work in progress, you know. Can’t rush the love,” he shrugged. 

“Please. The day you and Lotor learn to get along in front of me will be the day I die,” Pidge joked. 

Keith frowned. “Don’t say that. You’re going to love a long and healthy life with Zoe.”

“Keith, it was a joke. Are you okay? You’ve been tense since we walked out,” she said in concern. “I’m worried, Keith. The last time you acted like this, you almost joined the army on impulse.”

“But I didn’t,” he mumbled, keeping his eyes glued to the road. 

“What did Lotor tell you? I swear, if he started another fight–”

“It wasn’t a fight. If it was, you would’ve heard.”

“Then what is it? I worry, and I don’t like to worry! You’re hiding stuff from me, and I can’t work with that. I need you to communicate with me so that we’re on the same page.”

“I get tense for no reason sometimes. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’m your fiancé. It’s my job to worry,” she frowned. “Now tell me. What’s wrong?”

Keith let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s just that...sometimes I feel like this entire mess is my fault. If I hadn’t shot that freaking bullet at Zarkon, you wouldn’t be in danger. Shiro and Allura would’ve been able to work with their company in peace, and Lance and Hunk wouldn’t have to worry about protecting their families. Hell, even Matt got dragged into this, and he wasn’t even in the party hall when the whole thing happened!”

“And if you hadn’t aimed that bullet, you most likely wouldn’t be alive right now. Zoe wouldn’t exist, Cosmo wouldn’t have an owner, Lance and Hunk would refuse to do anything that could bring back the memory of you, and Shiro would be depressed. Krolia would hate herself for the rest of her life for letting it happen, and everyone would mourn for you.”

“No…”

“Keith, things just happen, which I’m sure Lotor told you as well. You defended yourself against the giant asshole, and he got what was coming for him. Even if you hadn’t shot the bullet, Zarkon and Haggar still would’ve chased us until our dying breaths. None of this was your fault,” she reassured him. 

“But now everyone is in danger, and I can’t even protect them,” Keith spat, coming to a stop in the driveway of the Holt residence. “I should’ve done something, _anything_ , to prevent this!”

“I was the one who agreed to help Lotor, Keith. This is his and my mess, not yours. You only defended yourself. Besides, I would rather have you alive at my side than defending me. I don’t want to ever have to pick up your body at the morgue.”

“I could become a Blade. My mom did offer me a spot after I completed training.”

“Listen to me,” she snapped, pulling his head close to her, her hands firmly pressed against his cheeks. “I am never going to allow you to put yourself in danger like that. The life of a Blade is hard, and you have a family that loves you very much. Don’t ever think that you need to run off and join a secret organization to protect us.”

“But I–”

“No,” she said stubbornly, pressing their foreheads together. “We’re in this together, Keith. We have to protect Zoe, and that means that you can’t go off and get yourself killed because you felt that you weren’t doing enough. You will always be enough for me, okay?”

“Okay,” he sighed, his shoulders sagging. 

“Good,” she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before sitting back upright. “Now, we really need to go to bed. You have work tomorrow, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll carry Zoe up.”

“My hero,” she sighed dreamily before getting out of the car, Keith doing the same thing. 

The duo laughed as they plucked the child out of the car, Keith carrying her inside the house while Pidge locked the door behind her. 

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes was looking at them from the inside of a car parked on the street corner. Their eyes remained focused on Zoe, however, as Keith and Pidge both cooed at a noise that the child had made. 

The person’s lips curled up into a sinister smirk, their eyes narrowing as they pressed a phone up to their ear. 

“Haggar? We have our target.”

“Excellent work, Luca. You can return home for now.”

“Yes, Haggar.”

Luca cast the house one final look before chuckling darkly, pulling away and driving away into the dark night, towards the Galra.

* * *

Pidge felt a shiver ride down her spin as she heard a car pass by, casting the window a glance as she tucked Zoe into her crib. 

She looked back at Zoe and ran her fingers gently through her daughter’s hair, suddenly feeling as if she were being watched. She remembered the same feeling from years before, back when Lotor was first stalking her on her way home with Keith when he had begun observing her. 

Another shiver ran down her spine and she quickly picked Zoe up, choosing instead to have the child sleep with her and Keith. There was something that wasn’t letting her rest right, and there was no way in hell that she was ignoring another one of her senses. 

Cosmo trailed at her feet and plopped himself at the edge of the bed, facing the door, as if ready to jump into action at any given moment. The scene only made Pidge pull Zoe closer to her as she slipped under the covers, Keith pressing a chaste kiss to both her and Zoe’s heads before rolling over on his side to sleep. 

She still couldn’t shake off the feeling, however, that she was being watched, even as she wrapped a protective arm around her daughter and made sure that all the windows were shut with a quick glance around the the room. 

Altea suddenly seemed less safe and secure, less like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise that I haven't abandoned this fic lol. On that note, I will update this as soon as I can. That does not mean that if you beg me to update, I will do it. Writing takes time, and I hope you understand that I have other things to write and do. I’m a person with a life, and I hope you guys understand that. That being said, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And a Happy New Year for all of you. <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to The Boy Next Door, and I really hope you guys enjoy it because this is going to be way more heavier in theme compared to the previous story lolol. Thank you for reading!


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